


In Sickness and in Health

by nanokorea



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Mingyu is Bi in this, Slow Burn, but he doesn't know that yet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2019-05-14 13:06:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 123,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14770187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nanokorea/pseuds/nanokorea
Summary: All Mingyu wanted was to arrange a wedding for his cousin and not end up balls deep in a man's ass- feelings included.





	1. One.

Weddings have always been a big thing for the Kim family. Every event that included anyone from the family being wed had to be pompous in every aspect. Mingyu loved those rare occasions where he could meet most members of their family tree, talk to them and gather interesting intel worth keeping but to think a day where he had to take part in arranging a meeting between the fiancés, for his beloved cousin, no less, would come- left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Mingyu always believed himself open-minded; but arranged marriages ticked him off somehow- not that he would admit it out loud. But Yeri, his cousin, was still a young chick in his eyes, just starting her first year at Uni, haven't fully enjoyed the perks of her youth and explored the world. And his parents had to go and decide for her to marry some 'dude' she doesn't even know. Yeri, being the sweet kid she is, didn't protest one bit when the news reached her ears but Mingyu wanted her to be at least a little defensive, raise her voice and speak up her mind because that's what Mingyu would've done in that situation. She wasn't him, though. It pissed him but he understood. Yeri would accept it and Mingyu was determined to make the meeting a big success. Strengthening the families through diplomatic measurements was a common thing in the family, Mingyu knew. He just wished his parents chose a woman for him to wed rather than make decisions for Yeri.

'What's done is done.' A sigh escaped his lips. 'No turning back now,' he ran a hand through his messy hair, defeated. He just texted back his mother with a 'yes' to her question for him to assist her with the meeting. The Jeon family was a big influence in Korea with their advanced technologies and programming systems, so merging the companies would highly benefit both families to keep their position at the top. Mingyu wished it could've been done without Yeri marrying the Jeons' son, though.

An arm slung around his middle, pulling Mingyu out of his thoughts. The person clearly didn't want him to leave the warm bedsheets.

'Are you leaving already?' Soft voice muttered into his chest as he shifted a bit in his bed.

'I have to. Mother wants me to accompany her to that stupid meeting.' Mingyu caressed dark long hair with the back of his hand and then leaned in the so he could kiss his sleepy girlfriend. She was warm and he wanted to cuddle her some more but duty called.

He was so spent from their night activities he almost fell asleep in the shower. The pressure of Dahyun's soft breasts pressed against his back slapped him out of his dreamland and they showered together, messing around once again.  
By the time they had finished, Dahyun wobbled a little because there was no time to take it slow, Mingyu handed her his homemade cookies for her mom (she loves them so much) after she had dressed and then accompanied her to the door. It was Sunday and they had tests tomorrow, courtesy of their kind teachers who were eager to ruin their students on the first two weeks at school.  
He kissed her goodbye, long and passionate his teeth bruised her red lips a bit and he was left in his apartment alone.

'Time to get to work,' he reminded himself, getting ready for the awful afternoon. It was clear something bad will happen at the Jeon's house when his mother was included. She had decided to personally visit Mrs. Jeon to consult the wedding preparations as well as the meeting for the fiancés. Mingyu wasn't honestly sure why was he needed but like the good son he was, he complied.

When the annoying clock he got from Jaehyun announced it was nearly twenty minutes until noon, Mingyu was already dressed like the CEO of a company, keys from his apartment in one hand while two bouquets in other. He wasn't sure which flowers Mrs. Jeon liked so he bought lilies because they looked really nice. He didn't know what kind of person she was but he hoped he leaves a good impression. He didn't want to disappoint his mother.

'Here we go,' Mingyu sighed and closed the door behind him.

 

*****

 

If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be? Nothing, Mingyu would've answered any other time. But now he wasn't sure anymore. There was an alarming number displayed on his rather expensive watch he didn't really ask for but his relatives liked to spoil him and he kind of couldn't say no to people. It was approximately _thirty_  minutes after noon and when he noticed it was too late.

_He was late._

A small figure was approaching in firm steps over to his car he so carefully parked in front of the main gate, slowly awakening the only fear implanted in Mingyu's whole being. His mother was coming for his ass. Because he should've arrived exactly at noon. And look at the time now! 12:30 pm.

_Great._

'Rest in peace, Kim Mingyu,' he whispered, gulping before reaching for the bouquet of red roses with sweaty hands.

His mother had an unreadable expression on her face but even a fool would notice the silent fury in her eyes. She looked composed by the time she had walked over to her stiffened son.

'Honey, do you know what time it is.' It wasn't even a question but the tone of her voice sent a shiver of uneasy down Mingyu's body.

'I'm sorry, I was preoccupied with cleaning and buying gifts for you and Mrs. Jeon I lost track of time. It won't happen anymore, I promise.' He bowed deeply, apologizing like he had just stolen the neighbor's dog. The woman gave him a suspicious look but her gaze softened upon seeing the flowers her son was so awkwardly hiding behind his back.

'Son, we both know that it's a God's wish for you to show up in time,' she shook her head but smiled. Mingyu sighed in relief, handing her the bouquet as a compensate gift for the waiting. Him being late to family meetings wasn't rare- his mother has gotten used to it and the boy was glad she brushed it off without further pressure.

'Either way, we still have matters to discuss, so come on in, we have time until five.' A beckoning of her hand made Mingyu's legs find strength again and after a month he had set foot in a place he was raised in.

 

*****

 

The clock hasn't even reached five and Mingyu was on the verge of putting his head on the table and just sleep. His parents had a lot to talk about, obviously, but Mingyu's answers to their questions were pretty much the same as they'd been exactly a month ago.

 _Grades?_ Top of his class.

 _Social life?_ Had one, too. Just made a bunch of friends recently. One of them was a son of an important politician which earned him a noise of approvement from his father.

 _Love life?_ He's had girlfriends before but his relationships never lasted long. They said he was too mild for them. What does that even mean? He's still dating Dahyun though, a girl from a wealthy family of course (his mother wouldn't approve of some gold digger from lower classes) he had met at Jaehyun's nineteen's birthday. They've been dating since June and it's been a fulfilling relationship so far. His mother liked her because she was pretty and had manners like a lady should've had. She didn't know that Mingyu was slowly getting tired of being committed for that long but he tried hard and masked his worries well. He thought he'd get over it and be a better boyfriend; he didn't want to become like his friend Jaehyun- a sweet-looking guy with a horrible personality.

The loud sound of the clock woke Mingyu up from his temporary daydreaming. His parents were done with their interrogation, his dad slowly getting up and excusing himself after hugging his son left only him and his mother in the living room.

'Well, I think we should get going,' Mrs. Kim adjusted her skirt, 'the meeting is set at six and I don't want to be late, that would be rude to the Jeons,' she continued while sending her son a knowing glance. Mingyu's cheeks reddened in embarrassment and croaked out an apology. Things were getting interesting from now on. Hopefully for good.

 

*****

 

They were on the way to the Jeons, warm air surrounding the inside of his car. They didn't talk during the ride, the silence was pleasant to Mingyu's ears but it was a bit unsetting because his mother hasn't said a word ever since she had buckled up. That is until the brunet decided to finally speak up.

'Wouldn't it be better if Yeri had come instead of me? It's her wedding after all.'

His mother looked at him.

'We decided with Mrs. Jeon a meeting for the fiancés would be best if planned accordingly. That's why she had invited me to her house to discuss the matter. Normally I wouldn't ask for your company but I thought you'd want to meet the Jeons' sons and possibly Yeri's future husband. I want you to make a picture for yourself,' she said. 'Try not to scare the child when you talk to him.' It was an order.  
Mingyu nodded, concentrating on driving. They had passed the center of Seoul already but the GPS told him they were almost there.

The neighborhood they had entered looked unfamiliar, perhaps due to the fact that Mingyu had never been there before. His mother navigated him until he had parked in front of a mansion with a really pretty garden. The house was fairly big, not as his parents' though and Mrs. Kim noticed that, commenting casually: 'I thought the place would be bigger.'

Mingyu bit his lip, suppressing the urge to roll his eyes.

'The garden is beautiful though, well maintained- look at those flowers,' she continued, looking from the window.

'Isn't it because of their awesome gardener?' Mingyu asked, parking carefully behind the black SUV, probably belonging to a guest since his mother informed him the Jeons never park their cars in front of the gates.

'Not necessarily, I've heard their eldest takes care of their plants sometimes,' she smiled. 'He's busy with college and part-time job but still makes his time to help his mother with housing, he seems like such a great son, don't you think?' A frown was creeping up on Mingyu's face as he held the doors open for his mother. He saw it coming. It was a silent pray for him to spend more time with her and his dad. A sneaky but futile attempt as Mingyu had no plans on spending his time with his parents more than necessary. There was so little they had in common, it just didn't look productive to him.

'From what you said it looks like their eldest is not a boy but a girl,' Mingyu joked while pressing the button on the intercom. He was smacked lightly on his arm.

'Don't be rude, Mingyu! At least he's keen on helping his mother unlike _someone_ ,' she retorted back, upset. It was kind of funny seeing her like this, Mingyu couldn't help but laugh softly just as a voice from the intercom interrupted him.

'Yes?' It was definitely a woman.

'We're here to see Mrs. Jeon.' Mingyu cleared his throat, now red from embarrassment. The voice sounded chirpy, clearly amused by the laugh he had presented before even speaking. His mother seemed to shrug it off because her face lit up a little after recognizing the voice from the other side.  
She was beside her son in a flash, lips curved in a smile as she beamed into the white box.

'Sooyun, since when are you answering calls? I thought you had a housekeeper for this.'

'Minah, is that you? It's still early, I wasn't expecting you to be here so soon! Come on in!' The person on the other side laughed. Buzzing, the gate started to open. Mingyu looked at his mother, a brow raised in confusion.

'I assume that was Mrs. Jeon?' He clutched the bouquet in his hand, careful not to crush the precious flowers from his tight hold. His mother nodded, leading the way to the main door. The house looked really pretty in the sunset, nothing too pompous like the one his parents owned but nothing too simple. He noticed a very old model of a car parked neatly near the fountain. Mr. Jeon must've been a passionate collector, the car cost a fortune. Mingyu was sure because he saw the exact vehicle in a motorsports magazine.

'Ah, your father is still upset he couldn't get his hands on the car,' Mrs. Kim casually remarked but there was relief plastered on her face.

'I feel his pain. You might not understand but this,' he gestured to the vehicle, 'is a masterpiece. Owning such a beauty is a dream of everyone who loves cars,' he was definitely beaming now, 'I'm jealous Mr. Jeon got to ride it...' He trailed off, dreaming of how nice it would be to take that beautiful girl on a ride through the outskirts of Seoul. Mrs. Kim rolled her eyes, sighing. Like father, like son.  
Mingyu would've ogled at the car a bit longer if not for Mrs. Jeon's chirpy voice calling for them. The first thing he noticed was a pair of beautiful and sharp eyes dominating her small face. She might've looked scary but the little crescents her eyes turned into the instant she smiled washed off every ounce of the intimidating aura. There was a warmth radiating from her and Mingyu found himself being soothed just by her presence.

'You've brought a friend with you? He's so handsome!' She gave him a big smile. Mingyu nodded shyly, now remembering the bouquet he had brought.  
He held the door for Mrs. Jeon and his mother before he stepped inside.

'That's my son,' his mother exclaimed proudly after pecking Sooyun lightly on each cheek.

'Nice to meet you, Mrs. Jeon. I'm Mingyu.' He bowed deeply like he was taught, receiving a nod in return. 'Ah, I've brought a gift, I hope it's not inappropriate,' he scratched the back of his neck, handing the bouquet to the surprised woman before him.

'Lilies? Oh my Gosh, if I haven't known better, I might've thought you've come to woo my little Wonu, these are his favorite!' She giggled, making Mingyu confused. Wonu? Who the heck was that?

'I'm sorry?' He looked lost but Mrs. Jeon shook her head, still smiling.

'Ah, it's nothing! They're beautiful, thank you.' She led them further inside until they had settled in a spacy living room. Mingyu had to hand it to her because the interior looked modern yet cozy at the same time. He could imagine himself relaxing on the sofa and eating sweets. God, he was so hungry. His stomach seemed to agree because it growled loudly, taking both women in the room by surprise. Mrs. Jeon laughed softly behind her hand; his mother, though, didn't look so pleased.

'Minah, you're not starving your son, are you?' Mrs. Jeon suddenly blurted out.

'It's not like that, I haven't had anything for lunch because I forgot to prepare something for myself.' It was rude to interrupt the woman like that but Mingyu didn't want to embarrass his mother anymore. To tell the truth, he had already eaten back at home but it wasn't his fault his stomach was an endless pit. A raised brow from Mrs. Kim was directed at him, making him feel small despite being an over six-foot tall giant.

'Oh, no need to explain yourself, you're just like my Wonu,' Sooyun smiled, 'he often forgets to eat, too. That's why he looks so skinny,' she frowned but quickly masked it behind a giggle. 'That reminds me- I should send a maid with snacks for you, what a host I am, really. Forgive my rudeness,' she was talking to his mother now, guilt all over her face. Mrs. Kim shook her head, indicating it won't be necessary but Mrs. Jeon was quick to interrupt.  
She stood up, walking to the open door in steady steps before she shouted into the hall.

'Yeon-ah? Could you come here quick? I need- ah, Wonu, you're here?' Mingyu's ears twitched at the name. 'Mrs. Kim is here with her son, I need you to bring some snacks and tea for them, please.' Her voice was loud enough to cover the reply she was given but it was a positive one because in seconds she was back, taking her spot with a smile.

'I'm sorry, the food will be here soon, please don't die.' Her tone was a bit panicky. She looked so cute, worried about a stranger's stomach. Mingyu wanted to cry. Not even his mother was worried about him to that extent. She was eyeing Mrs. Jeon like a hawk, though.

Mingyu was bright red nevertheless. He spent the following ten minutes looking at his lap, head hung low while his mother discussed something related to the wedding with Mrs. Jeon.

'I brought the snacks and tea, mom.'

Mingyu almost snapped his neck at the speed he turned to the source of that sultry voice. It was a new face, a boy he'd never seen before, holding a silver tray with freshly baked muffins and sweet-scented tea. His mouth watered just at the smell and his stomach acted up again, demanding food. Just then a pair of sharp eyes settled on his face, judgemental and Mingyu was sure it was one of Mrs. Jeon's sons; those captivating eyes looked the same as hers. Mingyu knew he was staring, it was rude but he couldn't help himself. Aside from the resting bitch face the boy was sporting, his eyes wandered to the oversized grey sweater, long enough to cover his pale thighs. If not for the black shorts Mingyu would've thought the boy was wearing only the sweater. His stares got ignored as the boy put the tray on the table, carefully placing the cups and plates with muffins for them to take.

'Mingyu-ssi, don't hesitate and eat! Wonu baked them himself,' Mrs. Jeon's chirpy voice slapped him out of his trance. 'Ever since he's got a boyfriend he's been learning to cook various food; Hyunnie is such a big eater, isn't he, honey?' She was giggling while the 'Wonu' guy groaned, hiding his face behind the sweater paws in embarrassment.

_Cute._

'Mom, please,' he whispered, hands clasped together. Okay, he was mad cute, Mingyu had to admit. For a guy. The baritone of his voice still surprised him, though. In a good way. Mingyu himself had a deep voice but not _that_ deep. It was that kinda voice you'd want to read bedtime stories for you.

'I'm sorry, we should go back to discuss the matter you've come for, right, Minah?' Mrs. Kim nodded, sipping on the lemon tea in silence. 'But first,' Sooyun turned to her son, 'Wonu, you should introduce yourself, I've been rude for too long as a host, it's embarrassing,' she blushed.

'Ah, that's right. Sorry,' he suddenly turned to Mrs. Kim, face blank before speaking, 'Jeon Wonwoo. Nice to meet you, ma'am,' he bowed deeply.

'Likewise,' Mrs. Kim smiled at him politely but Mingyu could see her judging his outfit silently.

'I'm Mingyu.' The brunet suddenly butted in, extending his hand for the boy to shake. The sudden action surprised the latter, his eyes betrayed his face but he kindly took the hand and Mingyu swore it was the softest feel he's ever got from a handshake. Wonwoo's hand was smaller, fingers thinner than his own and it fit perfectly in his palm, it was unbelievable. Enjoying the soft skin a bit too much, he didn't realize he was holding the other's hand for that long until a slight hiss left Wonwoo's lips. Mingyu blinked- withdrawing quickly he mouthed a quiet 'sorry', lowering his head in shame. That was enough embarrassment for one day. Wonwoo's blank stare was back but it didn't help at all, rather it made Mingyu feel more nervous. Not to mention his stomach was being a greedy bitch again. Unconsciously, he swallowed a heavy lump in his throat. Those eyes were suffocating him slowly. He needed a break. Like, right now.

'Here, take this.'

A puffy sweet was being put into his hands. He dared to look up, quite surprised by the action but brought the fluffy muffin to his lips, biting into it carefully.  
Mingyu melted at the taste of the filling. He'd never tasted a muffin like this one. White chocolate did things to him. He was ecstatic. He might've cried because it was so _good_. He was about one bite into the thing but honestly? He was in love.

'Fuck.' The curse word was fortunately muffled by the sweet in his mouth but he could see a slight grin on Wonwoo's lips. Mingyu wasn't complaining. It was that good.

'Don't speak with your mouth full.' His mother gave him a stern look, warning. Hurriedly, Mingyu gulped down last bits of the sweet thing, nodding. It was sad he couldn't savor the white chocolate filling more. He had an annoying itch to take another one but he was afraid he'd embarrass his mother again. He tried hard not to show sadness on his face but given his nature, he failed miserably. You see, Mingyu couldn't hide his emotions well (a reason he'd never cheated in exams because his face was that obvious) and he had an obnoxious habit of chewing loudly when eating.

'Sorry.'

'Let the boy live a little, Minah,' Mrs. Jeon laughed heartily, making Mingyu blush. Wonwoo was wearing that blank expression again but there was still a hint of a grin on his lips. Crouching before the sofa his mother was sitting on, he leaned in, whispering.

'Should I call Gukkie down here or-' Mingyu couldn't make of anything else but Mrs. Jeon shook her head in disapproval, then proceed to glance back at Mingyu, smiling sheepishly.

'Wonu, could you please take care of Mingyu for a while? Introduce him to Gukkie, it's time for him to make at least an attempt at making new friends. I need to discuss the wedding plans with Mrs. Kim alone,' she patted her son's jet black hair, which looked so fucking fluffy and cute if you ask him, 'I take it Mingyu is here to meet the groom-to-be, rather than to actually partake in the conversation we girls are going to have.'

Mrs. Kim giggled at the word 'girls'.

'Guk is busy, mom. He still has homework to do and since I know him too well, he's probably playing video games again rather than studying like he should've been.' Wonwoo sounded annoyed but Mrs. Jeon rolled her eyes, clearly well used to her son being a lazy bum. Mingyu could relate. He'd be doing literally anything than studying and doing homework.

'Now tell me, who's the mom here?' Mrs. Jeon joked, letting out an airy laugh. Mingyu had to bit his lip to not burst out laughing.

'Someone's gotta keep an eye on him, you know he listens to me-' Wonwoo paused, 'well, most of the time,' he rolled his eyes, blush spread across the apples of his cheeks.

'Hush, now. Just make sure Mingyu doesn't feel like the enemy here and don't try to sulk, young man, it doesn't work for me,' she was nagging now, whispering close to Wonwoo's ear so Mrs. Kim couldn't hear.

A sigh loud enough for Mingyu to hear escaped the raven's lips. It was a sign of defeat.

'Jesus, okay. I got it. I still have to take Tristan for a walk, though.'

'Splendid! Take Mingyu with you, get to know each other a little,' Mrs. Jeon smiled warmly. Wonwoo groaned out loud at that but nodded, albeit reluctantly and got up, his knees cracking a sound because of the crouching. Upon turning his head to face the brunet, he raised a brow, waiting for Mingyu to get his ass off the sofa.

'Well, gotta go make new friends,' he exclaimed in a forced cheerfulness, brushing the invisible dust off his pants before standing up. 'If you'll excuse me, ladies,' he bowed to Mrs. Jeon who giggled cutely and then bent down enough to place a quick peck on his mother's cheek. It was to reassure her he'll behave like the good son he was. Mrs. Kim patted his arm lightly, smiling softly.

'Please take care of my son.' His mother was now talking to Wonwoo, getting a silent nod in return.

There was silence for a moment and when he got close enough to actually take in the visual before him, Mingyu just then noticed how tall the other boy was; not taller than him of course but the crown of his head easily reached up to the tip of his nose. Still, Wonwoo had to tip-toe to even reach his height and the thought alone of him doing just that was so _cute_ it made Mingyu's heart cry a little.  
The height difference clearly annoyed Wonwoo, as he wasn't much used to taller people but his face remained expressionless. Mingyu, on the other hand, busied himself checking him out in the meantime; not so subtly because he was _that_ type of guy who wore emotions on his sleeves. If Wonwoo noticed him staring he decided to ignore it and concentrate on walking into the hall with a giant tree following him. How a tree could walk, don't ask him, the metaphor just popped in his head.

A melodic whistle broke the silence between the two, forcing Mingyu to lock his eyes on the ball of fluff suddenly running towards Wonwoo who was already crouching down with open arms.

'Tristan, baby, you ready for a walkie?' Wonwoo's voice softened when talking to the pup of a husky who howled in excitement. That brought Mingyu back to focus on the actual pet than the raven's pale legs he's been gazing over for the past minute. They looked a bit girly in those questionable shorts.

_Are those shorts really shorts, though?_

'You seriously have no filter, do you?'

Mingyu spluttered, biting his tongue in the process. Did he just say that out loud? Wonwoo was wearing his bitch face when he looked over his shoulder but the rosy color painting the tip of his ears was proof enough he was embarrassed. The good impression he'd wanted to leave just flung out the window. The brunet face-palmed internally.

Shit.

'Uh.' Was Mingyu's intelligent answer.

The judging glare he received from the other was bad enough he had to avert his eyes. But then the puppy made its way to him, wagging its tail, carefully sniffing around Mingyu's legs and God, what an adorable baby. He was approved by the puppy as it started to jump excitedly on its tiny legs. It might've been just a few months old and clearly wanted to be held.

Mingyu didn't know what to do; part of him wanted to squish the dog to death but then there was Wonwoo, face unreadable and plain intimidating in his fuzzy oversized sweater and shorts. What a dilemma.

'I know you want to hold him,' Wonwoo then said, looking up to match Mingyu's eyes. 'Well, suit yourself. Just don't drop him, please.'

'Thanks. I won't.' The brunet tried to sound nonchalant but failed miserably as the puppy tilted its tiny head at him, expectant. If you could sneak a peek into Mingyu's head you'd see fireworks. He loved puppies the most if that wasn't evident enough. Hell, he looked like one himself. Acted like one, too.

'I'd appreciate that. I need to grab the keys first- they're in my brother's room unfortunately so if you'd come with me, please,' Wonwoo motioned to the stairs, a silent command for the taller boy to hurry the fuck up. Petting the soft fluff of ball in his arms, he followed the raven.

'What's his name?' Mingyu asked, pinching the husky's furry cheek.

'Tristan.' He was given a simple reply.

'Is there any Iseult, too?' Mingyu couldn't help but ask. The roll of Wonwoo's eyes was so strong even though he didn't turn around when he answered in that low voice.

'No.'

'He's cute. I mean, every puppy is cute but this one is the cutest, I'm hundred percent convicted.' Mingyu was definitely cooing now.

'That's reassuring,' Wonwoo said, 'my cat would disagree, though.' He chuckled softly behind a sweater paw, voice changing in pitch ever so slightly but the taller noticed and bitch if that wasn't the cutest thing then Mingyu was a rock.  
Screw that. Wonwoo could be- _was_ equally as cute as a puppy, no homo.

'You have a cat?'

'Sleeping soundly and not messing shit up in my apartment, I hope, but yes,' he nodded. They were almost on the first floor with many doors ahead of them. Wonwoo walked up to the one at the near end of the hall, not bothering to knock and opening the door quietly.

'You better be studying, Guk, or I'll burn every lyric sheet you've ever written,' he nagged as soon as he stepped inside the room with Mingyu close behind. The brunet tried hard to be quiet but Tristan decided to play with his ear, biting at his earlobe, drawing unmanly squeals out of him. He was given a raised brow from Wonwoo in return. God, how he wished the ground swallowed him up.

'You wouldn't!' A loud gasp was heard somewhere in the room. A familiar voice.

'Don't forget I know your secret place you're hiding all of your things in,' Wonwoo retorted calmly before giving Mingyu space to waltz into the room, the puppy still nibbling at his earlobe. Despite having an ear covered in a dog's saliva, the brunet looked over Wonwoo's shoulder to finally take a look at, what he assumed- was Yeri's fiancé. On a king-sized bed was sitting, cross-legged and in a sulky mode the most accurate definition of a child- Jeon Jeongguk from class A. It took a few seconds for Mingyu to compose himself, the shock from the realization was too overwhelming.

'Bitch.' The sulky person- Jeongguk stuck his tongue at his brother, who was ready to fight him with a face that showed an emotion, finally.

'Not much as you and watch your language, we have a guest if you haven't noticed,' the raven hissed, motioning at the giant tree behind him.

Jeongguk seized the newcomer up and down, eyes widening upon realization. He stopped whatever he was doing (lazing around and playing video games, probably) and hopped off his bed, gasping dramatically.

'Wonu, didn't mom say that Yeri's auntie would come to talk about the wedding today?' he asked.

'Yes?' The other replied back, now confused.

'Then what is _he_ doing here?' Jeongguk was furrowing his brows. 'Don't tell me you're cheating on Hyun with him? I mean, I _get it_ \- he's good looking enough to match you aesthetically but he's clearly after your body like that prick of a boyfriend-'

'Jesus, Guk, no. What the hell? He's here with Mrs. Kim,' Wonwoo sighed. 'He's her son.'

There was a long awkward pause, interrupted only by Tristan's baby fangs gnawing on Mingyu's earlobe. Then a sound of choking on air followed after.

'Well fuck me sideways, I didn't know you were Yeri's brother! She's so quiet all the time it didn't actually click with me you two are related!' Jeongguk gaped.

'Not a brother, cousin,' Mingyu corrected him, eyeing the boy in disbelief. It was certainly a surprise the future groom was a sophomore from his school. Although both majoring in different courses, they've been on the basketball team together for over a year but hadn't had the chance to converse properly as the brunet was always in his own world, avoiding others. Seeing him now in his natural habitat, loosened up and quirky, Mingyu prayed to God the kid was kind to his cousin.  
'I expect you to behave around Yeri and not cause any trouble for her or I'll make sure you never dance again,' he warned. It might be an empty threat to the boy's ears since they both were the same age but Mingyu stood tall, intimidating in all aspects despite having an armful of a puppy.  
Unfazed one bit, Jeongguk was about to sass back a reply but Wonwoo was faster.

'Don't worry, he's not the type to mess around with women,' he assured. 'He'll behave, right?' A threatening smile was aimed directly at the boy who nodded silently, suppressing a gulp. Mingyu didn't know it yet but angry Wonwoo was really scary.

'I will but only if he behaves, too,' Jeongguk was getting sulky again, pointing a finger at Mingyu.

'He seems well-mannered enough, though.'

'Uh-huh. Well, you probably haven't seen him style a dude's hair with a fucking snot-' Jeongguk was trying to make the taller look bad in his brother's eyes but he didn't know why. It was a nasty move nevertheless.

'God, it was _once_ -' Mingyu tried to protect his image and how the fuck did the brat know that? He wasn't even there. Or maybe he was, going ninja in the background, snooping around.

Wonwoo let out a long sigh, probably trying to calm himself. This was getting ridiculous. Jeongguk was being a baby _again_ \- clearly about to have a fit, burning holes into Mingyu's forehead. Okay, that snot thing was disgusting but it had nothing to do with the brunet being here as a mere spectator. He stepped forward, eyes fixated on Jeongguk, expressionless.

'Stop being a bitch, Guk. I have no idea what got you so worked up about him but get your shit together and act your age- you're gonna marry a woman for God's sake; you'll have to get along with him eventually if you don't want to be a disappointment.' The last statement was harsh but Wonwoo had to be strict, as much as it pained him.

Puppy still in his arms, Mingyu averted his eyes, trying to ignore the uncomfortable silence, hanging heavy in the room after the arguments both brothers shared. There was a pause and then a quiet 'I know, hyung' mouthed by Jeongguk. He looked calm now but tense, fists curled in balls. Wonwoo massaged his temples, sighing.

'Well, now that's cleared, go and hug Mingyu so I know you're serious about it.' He stepped aside.

'What?' Both boys yelped in unison, eyes wide. Jeongguk was making a noise, disgust evident on his face by just the thought of touching that nasty giant of a tree and really, Mingyu could relate; that was definitely not what he had expected.  
Wonwoo, with arms crossed, raised a brow, waiting for his brother to make a move. The younger did just that, albeit hesitantly and with gritted teeth opened his arms, wrapping them lightly around Mingyu's shoulders. Although awkwardly, the taller patted his back, forcing a smile. Tristan's happy howl was the only thing that wasn't fake.

'Good boy,' Wonwoo nodded, satisfied. He ruffled his brother's hair as he passed by him, reaching to the side to grab the keys from the nightstand. 'I'm gonna take Tristan on a walk. Do your homework- I'll be checking it later- You better not slack off when I get back,' he warned, getting a nod in return.  
Wonwoo tapped Mingyu on the shoulder, signaling to get going. A tug on his sleeve, however, held him tightly in place- most likely Jeongguk's doing.

'I'll just have a quick word with Mr. Nasty Handsome here,' the younger called out to his brother, 'you take Tantan and go ahead, it won't take long, promise.' Mingyu raised a brow at the weird nickname probably belonging to the puppy because he was soon left with empty arms as Wonwoo carefully took the tiny pet into his own. Holding him close to his flat chest, he pursed his lips cutely at the husky, getting a happy lick as a reward. Fuck, that was cute. Unconsciously, Mingyu bit his bottom lip, unaware of Jeongguk's prying eyes.

'Okay but no fighting.' A finger pointed at the both of them, warning.

'Yes, mom,' Jeongguk saluted with his free hand but was quick to go into a stare-to-death mode once Wonwoo had left the room with a roll of his pretty eyes.

Mingyu shot the shorter a confused look. Jeongguk had a vice-like grip on his forearm when he opened his mouth.

'I know you're straight and all but don't even think of doing weird things to my brother or I'll break your spine, you hear?' The brunet whispered lowly, eyes piercing holes into Mingyu's. The hold around him tightened painfully, making the taller boy wince. What was that about?

'Doesn't he have a boyfriend, though?'

'That piece of shit? God, I wish he didn't have the guts to ask him out, Wonu is too busy being lovey-dovey and acting like a wife to notice that prick's true nature,' he scoffed. Jeongguk clearly despised the guy. Mingyu wondered why but decided not to pry on it.

'This might come off really rude but,' Mingyu gulped before continuing, 'aren't you a little too protective of him? He's a grown ass man, he can make decisions for himself.'

Jeongguk shook his head. 'You don't understand. Even though he's the oldest, he always had that pure mindset that got him into a shitton of problems before; he probably doesn't realize but he attracts all kinds of people who are just using him for his body. I noticed you looking at him the same way perverts do,' he held up his hand before Mingyu could say anything. 'Straight or not, it's always been like this. It irks me so I want to warn you- I'm not opposed to the idea of you befriending Wonu but that's about it. Don't even try to make a move on him. I know you're touchy with your dude friends but in my brother's case, for the love of God, try to keep your touches to a minimum. It's bad enough I have to keep an eye on his handsy boyfriend-' He stopped rambling, out of breath. Loosening the grip on Mingyu's forearm, he retreated back.

'You know I'm not interested in guys. Maybe you haven't noticed but I have a girlfriend.' Convicting the younger was a bit harder but Mingyu made sure to look straight into his eyes and hold the contact enough for him to sink in.

'Bitch, you better,' Jeongguk huffed. 'Now go and keep Wonu company, I gotta study or I'm dead meat.'  
Mingyu was literally thrown out of the room, a soft click behind told him Jeongguk locked himself in. Was it necessary, though? Shaking off unwanted thoughts floating inside his head, he went down the stairs. Wonwoo was waiting for him at the front door, puppy settled comfortably against his chest.

'I hope Guk didn't scare you off.' There was a hint of worry in his voice. It was kind of cute.

'What do you take me for? I'm not that weak,' Mingyu flexed his arms, showing off his muscles.

'Sorry, he's a bit protective.' Wonwoo looked seriously apologetic.

 _A bit._ Mingyu scoffed but held his tongue. That kid was low key possessive.

'Well, I understand where he's coming from- you do look kinda frail to me.' The remark had earned him a poisonous glare. Mingyu held his hands in defeat, smiling sheepishly.

'Not my fault I have a fast metabolism,' Wonwoo rolled his eyes and Mingyu let out a genuine laugh. He couldn't help it.

'Right.'

Following the shorter boy, Mingyu watched as the puppy wiggled its way out of Wonwoo's arms, setting himself free.  
He held the front door open for Wonwoo, flashing him a smile only to be ignored. By the time he kind of got accustomed to the older's antics. He'd noticed the raven was shy around strangers, not so social- an exact opposite of him. Well, Mingyu was determined to crack the tough shell sooner or later. Getting on Jeongguk's good side will be tougher, though.

 

*****

 

It was dark outside, leaving only garden lamps lighting the path for them. It was kind of romantic and honestly, Mingyu was a sucker for these, sue him. Shame that Dahyun couldn't appreciate romantic things more. Maybe that's why he'd started being unhappy in their relationship.  
He watched Tristan jump on his tiny legs, sniffing around, making Wonwoo pull at the leash a bit tighter because the pup got excited. It was really cute.

They walked around the mansion for a while, comfortable silence hanging in the air; Mingyu had questions on his tongue but held them back, waiting for the older boy to make the first step.  
Another ten minutes or so had passed, Tristan leading happily in the front, occasionally marking his territory. By their second trip around the neighborhood, Mingyu had to roll up the sleeves of his dress shirt- the evening had gotten especially warm and he was sweating like a pig. The intense glare he got from Wonwoo went unnoticed as the brunet was busy making faces at the tiny dog, getting wanted attention in return.

'It's getting late,' Wonwoo's voice then broke the silence. 'He's always taking his time, right, baby?' he smiled at the dog who was busy sniffing something in the grass.

'Let's head back, then.' Mingyu suggested, glad the walk was almost over. As much as he liked to coo at the dog and enjoy the little antics of his behavior, he felt a bit uneasy in Wonwoo's presence; albeit sad not being able to spark an interest from the other. Was he too boring to start a conversation with? Maybe he should've said something sooner than to walk with his mouth shut. He was a talkative person normally, constantly in need of attention but somehow this felt different; after what Jeongguk had said about his brother- Mingyu thought that giving the older time to adjust to him and open up on his own was the right decision. Unfortunately for him, patience was never his strong point.  
He tried to be considerate nevertheless; despite the silent treatment he received, Wonwoo seemed to warm up a bit to him, even with both of them saying literally nothing. It was a good start.

They were in front of the main gate when Wonwoo suddenly stopped in his tracks, searching for his keys in the pocket of those questionable shorts. Giving the leash to the ever so confused Mingyu, a sound of an alarm going off echoed close to his ears and wow, who would have thought the black SUV he'd parked behind was Wonwoo's.

'Hold onto him for a sec, I have some dog treats I forgot to give him,' the raven gestured wildly behind his back while opening the back door.  
From what Mingyu could see, the back seat was a mess; tons of books he'd never be able to read in his lifetime, scattered over the seats and papers of unknown content. Clearly, the older had too much on his plate. The brunet noted to himself to ask about his major later.

Tristan was wagging his tail excitedly, sniffing around Wonwoo's legs to catch a glimpse of the treats his owner was searching for in the back of his SUV. Mingyu should've stood beside rather than behind him, he found himself staring at the hem of Wonwoo's soft oversized sweater riding up as he bent down, revealing a pair of milky buns his shorts couldn't cover. Suddenly the air had become heavy and it was hard to breathe. Wonwoo wasn't aware of anything, much to Mingyu's relief but it would be nice if he didn't wiggle his ass so cutely in front of his _eyes_. That was partly the brunet's fault since he chose a bad spot to stand on.

Wonwoo was struggling through a pile of books with foreign titles to get the treat, groaning as he had to literally lay across the backseat, ass in the air. Tristan's moist nose tickling his bare thigh didn't help in the slightest. The dog was too excited.

'Ah! Found them!' He shouted in relief as the tiny pack of dog treats found its way into his hands.  
Retreating back, he held the pack with a victory smile and closed the doors. Mingyu was still standing behind, not moving an inch from his spot, too frozen to notice anything. It was Tristan's happy howl that brought him back to life.  
Wonwoo was now crouching before the fluffy ball of fur, feeding him cute shaped sweets, making as equally cute face at him, completely unaware of the existential crisis Mingyu was going through. Repeating Jeongguk's words in his head didn't help at all, much to his horror. He was too preoccupied with the dog he forgot there was another cute person right before him. Mingyu wished he'd never let his eyes wander off the dog.

'So cute.' The words left his mouth before he could even stop himself but thankfully, Wonwoo seemed to be too oblivious, flashing a tiny smile back at him because he thought the compliment was directed at the puppy and not him. Little did he know.  
Tristan ate a good portion of the snacks, howling in satisfaction. His sloppy walking indicated he was full and happy. There was one person whose stomach wasn't quite yet sated, though. A loud growl startled both Mingyu and Wonwoo who had to bit his lip in order to maintain a straight face.

'Still hungry, aren't we?' The ask was directed at Mingyu, who rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. No surprises here, he hadn't had the chance to taste more than one muffin, thanks to his dear mother.

'What can I say? My stomach is quite big,' the brunet shrugged, following the other back to the house. They were outside for a good hour and a bit, he checked the time on his phone. His mother should be done any minute, she didn't always take long in conversations, only focusing on discussing important things. Mingyu, on the other hand, could talk with practically anyone about _anything_. It was just that today his partner wasn't much of a talker and he was kind of busy with observing the other's body language than to start a conversation.

Once inside, after Tristan was finally freed from the suffocating leash, Wonwoo turned to Mingyu, eyes nervously darting from one side to another, mumbling.

'Thanks for the company. Tantan obviously likes you.' Wonwoo then looked up, locking eyes with Mingyu, who flashed him a big grin.

'Same here. Shame we didn't get to talk, though,' he pouted.

'Yeah, sorry for that.' Now the older boy was fidgeting, fingers playing with the hem of his sweater. 'I'm not used to strangers so holding a conversation gets a bit difficult for me,' he admitted. 'I'll try to get better at that since we're probably going to see each other a lot more, knowing my mother and her habit of over socializing.' A sigh escaped his lips and Mingyu had to slap himself to stop _staring_ at those pink petals.

He nodded. 'You're fine the way you are, there's no need to force yourself; I'll do the talking for the both of us in the meantime, don't worry,' he smiled with a thumbs up. There was a hint of a smile on Wonwoo's lips but it disappeared the instant Mingyu's stomach made a loud noise, filling the silent air in the hall. Honestly, his own flesh betrayed him in the most embarrassing way possible. The brunet could feel himself go visibly red even through his tanned skin. If he could, he'd be already crawling into a hole to the very core of Earth.

Trying to shake off the awkward silence, he sighed loudly, getting Wonwoo's attention in a flash.

'I gotta admit though, that muffin was the best thing I've eaten this week. I'm sad because there's probably not any left, though. I'm gonna cry.' Mingyu sniffed into his sleeve dramatically, which was a very rude thing to do if you ask his mother. Apparently, it seemed rude to Wonwoo as well but the guy was really good at masking his feelings under that bitch face he's walking around with. He rolled his eyes at the fake cry, though.

'Please stop. I'll wrap some up for you if you like them so much,' he offered with a tiny smile. The way his brows were furrowed in pure annoyance told Mingyu the smile was most likely forced but he didn't mind in the slightest because holy shit, Wonwoo looked so pretty when smiling. Not meaning it in a gay way but Mingyu could acknowledge pretty things on a dude, although his definition of pretty might be a bit questionable sometimes.

'Why are you so fucking nice?' The brunet continued to fake sob, already getting on the older's nerves.

Wonwoo rolled his eyes. 'I got the sleep I needed, I guess. I'm not usually like this, so don't take it for granted.' He shrugged but was being pulled into a bear hug nevertheless. Mingyu could embrace his body twice if he tried because Wonwoo was that skinny.

Wonwoo was desperate for air. The hard muscles of the younger's arms were crushing him in a tight squeeze. Mingyu was clinging to him like a koala, breathing in his ear something about how kind he is and that his baking skills are on a whole new level and it reminded him a bit of his boyfriend when he got all clingy and shit.  
By the time Mingyu had pulled away, Wonwoo was a blushing mess; cheeks painted cherry red by the sudden praise and Jesus Christ, he wasn't used to such close proximity with another man; he'd been hesitant to even let his boyfriend hug him this close. But Mingyu here never heard of personal space, apparently.

'Fuck, sorry. Are you okay? I got too excited about the muffins,' the taller boy was blabbering now, hands flailing wildly in the middle of apologizing. Wonwoo breathed slowly in and out, trying to calm himself. The panicked look on Mingyu's face was hilarious and for the first time that evening, he let out a full-on laugh until his ribs hurt.

'You didn't even taste the muffin properly- you just gulped it down and you're telling me that was the best thing you've eaten this week? Are you for real?' He was giggling now, which was so unlike him. If Soonyoung was there, he would've set himself on fire because Jeon Wonwoo, the forever quiet and uninterested in everything that's not a book guy was laughing at some stranger's words. He wasn't even high and look at him now. Soonyoung would be proud.

Mingyu was standing there like a statue, too overwhelmed by the sight of Wonwoo laughing and fuck, if him smiling was pretty then his laugh was beautiful. The way his nose scrunched was the cutest shit he'd ever seen. He might die of a stroke soon if he kept looking at him.

What deep shit he's gotten into. Lord help him.

'Oh my God, I'm sorry,' Wonwoo was wheezing, wiping tears from his eyes. 'That was inappropriate.'

'It's fine since I made you laugh.' _Even though I have no idea how._ 'It was kinda adorable.' He tried to look smug and succeeded, as the older boy stilled, calm all of a sudden. The blank face made its comeback but Mingyu didn't mind at all. It was just a facade and he managed to break it off if only for a second.  
Wonwoo mumbled something under his breath while looking away, cupping his cheeks with sweater paws. They burned hot red, all because the tall brat was being bold and throwing compliments at him all of a sudden. How was he supposed to deal with it? He couldn't control his face when facing this kind of affection. Praises from anyone but his brother made his body flush, it was so embarrassing. It didn't help that Mingyu was a handsome guy with a nice smile and hearing compliments directed at him wasn't something he was used to. Rather it created a huge mess in his brain.

'Shouldn't you only talk like that to your girlfriend?' He didn't mean to blurt it out but oh well, what's done is done.

'She's not here so no problems here,' Mingyu shrugged, not bothered at all. 'Besides I'm just being honest.' He grinned, showing off his canines.

'That's a nice trait, really but don't go around complimenting people,' Wonwoo found his composure at last, 'they might mistake it for flirting.' He received a nod from the other but the smile was still there and he had to turn away, quick. Was his mom done yet? She should be done talking at any moment. Please. He needed to collect his mind but not when the kid was still in the house.  
God was on his side that evening because the door to the living room opened, revealing two petite figures of Mrs. Kim and his mom. Still emerged in a debate, they noticed their sons' presence when one of them- Mingyu, sighed loudly and asked.

'Everything's good?' Not sparing Wonwoo a glance. Thank God.

'Absolutely.' Mrs. Kim was smiling when she patted her son on the shoulder.

'We've decided on Jeongguk's and Yerim's meeting,' Sooyun then announced, 'it's this Wednesday and we'd like you two to observe and make sure everything will go smoothly.' As soon as the words left her mouth, Wonwoo's face paled. She was joking, right? 'It's an opportunity to know each other better, so Wonu, don't plan anything on that day- I know you're not working on Wednesdays,' she held up her hand when Wonwoo was about to protest. God hated him, after all.

Mingyu wasn't sure if he should laugh or cry. The announcement was sudden and Wonwoo aside, he was worried for Yeri. Will she be okay with Jeongguk around? He was assured he'll behave but what if he turns out to be a jerk? What if-

'Mingyu.' Mrs. Kim's voice woke him up and blinking, he turned to her. 'We're leaving. It's late and I have to make sure your dad took his medicine.'

Now fully awake, Mingyu answered with a nod but then turned abruptly to Wonwoo who looked relieved the guests were finally about to leave. The taller boy wasn't quite done yet, though. Some things were left forgotten.  
He locked eyes with his hyung, hands reaching out to him, fingers wiggling. If Wonwoo were an idiot, he would've thought the younger wanted to shake hands but he was in College with the highest ranking ratio in class, so he was no fool. Still, he wasn't sure what Mingyu possibly wanted from him until it was spoken aloud in a low voice.

'Them muffins, please. You promised me.' He was grinning, unaware of Mrs. Kim horrified face because where were his manners? The giggle Mrs. Jeon let out eased the embarrassing situation but in Wonwoo's case, it was the opposite. Three pairs of eyes were on him like he was some artifact in a museum and he wasn't fond of unwanted attention. Highest ranking ratio be damned, he was this close to fainting on the spot.  
Without any word, Wonwoo sprinted to the kitchen, only to return back a few minutes later, holding a small basket in his hand. He froze a bit because now it was only him and Mingyu in the hall, both their moms seemed to be already outside, waiting. Not looking up, he handed the sweets to the brunet. Their fingers brushed in the process; if by accident, he wasn't sure and didn't plan on pry on it.  
Mingyu hummed approvingly after checking the contents of the basket. He was going to savor every muffin later.

'You shouldn't make your mom wait.' The nagging tone of Wonwoo's voice almost made Mingyu laugh.

'I won't. But there's one thing you forgot.'

'And what would it be?' The raven was getting annoyed.

'Your number.' Mingyu was smiling sweetly when he took his phone from his pocket, handing it to the older boy.

Wonwoo didn't blink, maintaining his bitch face but his inner-self was screaming. It was to keep in touch because of the fiancés' meeting, nothing more, he reminded himself.

As Wonwoo was being busy typing the digits on his phone, Mingyu eyed thin fingers skilfully ghosting over the screen, resisting the urge to take a hold of those pretty hands and just _kiss_ them. All those thoughts weirded him out, it was frustrating; he was only supposed to be thinking about Dahyun like that- not some pretty guy he'd just met. It must be the lack of sleep or something because holy hell, the more he'd indulged in watching Wonwoo just move around, the butterflies in his gut intensified, creating havoc inside his body.  
When he was handed his phone back, he peeked at the contact Wonwoo had saved himself as and Mingyu almost melted at the nickname.

A soft smile played on his lips as he re-read the name over again.

'You're so cute, you know?'

Wonwoo's face turned bright red. Endearing to the point it made the taller boy reach out and pinch his cheeks. Mingyu might've squealed a little at the sight.  
  
Not as straight as he'd thought, apparently.

_Fuck._

Tucking the phone back into his pocket, Mingyu sighed and after thanking Wonwoo for the muffins and his number properly, he headed out, knowing the older wasn't going to follow suit.  
He bid his goodbye to Mrs. Jeon who kissed his cheek lightly like he was her own son and then held the door of his BMW open for his mother to get in.

'Did you enjoy the visit?' He was asked soon after they had driven past the center of Seoul, sweet scent of the muffins invading his senses, filling the warm air in the car.

Mingyu didn't hesitate one bit when he answered, eyes on the road.

'Yes.'

 

*****

 

When he got home, it was already past eight, which didn't leave much room to study and honestly, Mingyu was too tired to do anything besides sleep like a log.  
Skipping his meal he headed directly to the bathroom, getting rid of the clothes and took a cold shower. His pajama was left untouched, neatly folded on the drawer in the bedroom. Warm air was peeking through the open window and Mingyu fell half-dead on his bed, wearing nothing but his boxers.  
A sudden buzz of his phone vibrating on the nightstand made him grunt into his pillow. Absentmindedly, he brought the device to his already heavy-lidded eyes to read the message he'd received.

**[08:30pm] From: Wonu hyung**

_I hope you arrived home safely~_

Mingyu fell asleep with a smile on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the chapter.  
> Sorry for the messy grammar. I tend to be lazy and work is taking the majority of my time so don't expect consistent updates. ^^;;


	2. Two.

Mornings were definitely not Mingyu's cup of tea. Heck, anyone who'd be awake at this unholy hour wasn't normal. The warmth of his bed was calling for him and he'd pretty much stay sprawled on the silky bedsheets in nothing than his underwear. Add a clingy girlfriend beside him a voila, best morning ever. Except that the only thing laying beside him was his phone. With the battery out of commission because after putting his tired limbs to rest, he kind of forgot to charge the phone _and_  reply to the message he'd gotten from his friend in the making. Wonwoo. A picture of a lanky guy in oversized sweater suddenly popped in his mind, swirling in motions. Yesterday's meeting with Jeongguk's family had left him with mixed feelings but being able to push Wonwoo's defense down and make him laugh to his heart's content was an accomplishment Mingyu was proud of the most. It might've not been much but small things like these held a precious place in his heart.  
He was still dreaming when a honey-like voice echoed somewhere near his ear, disrupting his sleep.

'Good morning, lover boy.'

Mingyu stirred in his sleep, grunting as a hot breath blew in his ear. Reacting purely on instinct, he brought his hand to shoo away the unwelcomed presence, aware of the person pushing their weight on the space beside him. Even when still being half asleep he couldn't miss the sweetness of the voice invading his earbuds. In times like these, he wished he didn't give him the passcode to his apartment. God, he just wanted to sleep in peace.

'Jaehyun, what the fuck are you doing.' It came out as a displeased moan and the other person let out a melodic laugh. As he groggily turned his head, Mingyu swore he saw strands of blond hair and he froze for a moment- wait a fucking minute. Jaehyun had dark hair last time he checked. This person here was blond. Then who the heck was in his bedroom?  
Alarmed, Mingyu twisted his body at abnormal speed, fists ready to attack but stopped as his eyes adjusted to the light and okay- it _was_  Jaehyun alright. Blond.  
He blinked- he might've been dreaming but his friend was still there, looking amused. Mingyu must've been sporting a ridiculous expression because Jaehyun laughed out loud.

'Awake much?' He grinned as the brunet bobbed his head, what he assumed was a nod. Jesus Christ, he was this close to going into a full panic attack mode.

Sitting slowly up, Mingyu rubbed the sleep from his eyes. His phone was dead but the kitten-shaped clock on his nightstand was showing it was around six in the morning. The fuck? It was still early. No way in hell he was going to leave his bed before seven.

Mingyu groaned. 'Are you fucking serious? I'm not leaving this room. Come back in an hour, you inconsiderate fuck.' Plopping his head back on a pillow, he waved him off, pissed. He didn't budge when Jaehyun began to shake his shoulders, pouting like a little kid.

'Come on, man. We haven't seen each other for _months_  and that's how you greet me? I thought you're better than this.' Jaehyun was sulking now. He was a sweet guy on most occasions but this childish side of him was beyond irritating. It didn't happen often and Mingyu was glad for that, but when it _did_  happen, you better be prepared for a good amount of puppy eyes and pursed lips pushing in your face. Jaehyun was good at getting what he wanted; you wouldn't think of it much if you didn't know him but he was a spoiled brat. Despite being older than Mingyu by a couple of months, his annoying childish-self was successful every time. You see, his sleeping friend here was too kind than to tell him to fuck off. Well, he did say that to him a lot, actually but he didn't mean it, really. Kim Mingyu was too much of a softie. That and Jaehyun would tell his mother if her son wasn't behaving properly. He was a Satan in disguise.

'I sure as hell am better than this but you've come at a bad time,' the brunet grunted into his pillow, not bothering to lift his head. Jaehyun, of all people, should know it's best not to disrupt Mingyu's sleep but it wasn't his fault he was too excited to see his friend after two months of separation. Both of them have gone to a nice trip over the summer but Jaehyun had to stay for a bit longer- missing out two weeks of his second year at Uni- leaving the place next to Mingyu's desk empty. The image of a sad-looking puppy in the back of the classroom was hurting enough. He had every right to be excited to see his friend, sleep be damned.

'Then allow me to be your bed partner for an hour.'

Mingyu didn't have to look up to know that Jaehyun was winking as he pushed his weight off the bed, only to hop back on, taking a place beside him. An arm slung around his shoulders, pulling him closer and suddenly Mingyu sprung out, hundred percent awake because ain't nobody got time for this clingy shit.

'Okay, you won. I'm awake now, you happy?' The brunet sighed, defeated. As much as he loved getting physical contact, Jaehyun was being a bitch to him so he didn't deserve any of his love.  
Pouting lips were replaced by a wide grin.

_Easy victory._

Mingyu might be clingy and touchy with guys but he was still straight so his little actions he pulled on him- especially this intimate, worked perfectly if you wanted to get him out of bed. Jaehyun was a master at this. He's had enough experience and being Mingyu's friend since high school helped a lot.

'There. Wasn't so hard, huh?' The blond smiled from the pillow, annoying. He was pulled by the ankles- Mingyu was still grumpy and not playing games- off the bed.

'I'll kick you in the balls if you don't stop talking,' he hissed warningly. 'Get off my bed, I need to tidy up.' The nagging was one of the things Jaehyun missed while being away. His friend was an uncontrollable force most of the time but his apartment was always cleaned up. Where he'd found the energy to do that was beyond his knowledge. Hiring a housekeeper would be more efficient but you know, Mingyu was playing the 'responsible adult' card here. Most of the stuff around the apartment had been taken care of by his person himself. It was admirable, in a sense.  
Sighing, Jaehyun rolled off the bed, fixing his wrinkled shirt in the process. He helped the brunet with folding the bedsheets- charging his phone in the meantime- though it'll die again after a while because an hour and a half of charging wasn't certainly enough for the device to make it through the day at Uni.

'When did you dye your hair?' Mingyu asked once he was done with the chores. It was around seven now, both friends were sitting on a bar stool in the kitchen, catching up on things they'd missed.

Jaehyun curled a few strands of the blond locks between his fingers, smiling. 'It was around the time you left for Europe,' he explained, 'it makes me look like an angel, don't you think?' He laughed when Mingyu's face turned into a grimace. 'Well, in any case, it's got me a boyfie so I'm not complaining,' he shrugged.

_What?_

'Hold on- how come you're dating someone and didn't fucking tell me?' Now Mingyu was offended. His friend rolled his eyes, crossing his legs.

'I wanted you to have fun on your trip,' he was given a shrug, 'besides I was too preoccupied with courting the guy; it was a challenge and I sweated a lot but it was totally worth it. He's a real sweetheart.' His tone changed into a softer one, something that you could barely hear from his lips without any mockery intended. If the new boyfriend was a temporary solution for lonely days, Mingyu wasn't sure but then, his blond friend was unpredictable and he might've found his soulmate he'll spend the rest of life with. Most unlikely but the taller boy still hoped this was the case.  
'We've been dating for over a month now, all thanks to Jeno being the cute baby he is,' Jaehyun chuckled behind his hand.

'Where did you two meet?' He was already regretting asking.

Jaehyun's eyes glistened as he clasped his hands together, smiling. 'Well, brother, prepare yourself for a long story.'

Mingyu rolled his eyes but nodded, narrowing his back as he sat down with a cup of his favorite coffee. 'Go ahead.'

 

*****

 

_There were certainly times when Jaehyun had prayed to God for Jeno to step out of his little bubble and make some friends. Despite being only five years old, the tiny kid had always been a bit too mature for his age; a genius as his parents would call him proudly, throwing unnecessary attention at his little person. Jaehyun had given enough pats and soft words to his adopted brother because the pressure had been too much sometimes and Jeno too young to meet the high standards his parents had set for him. Instead of being homeschooled, Jaehyun had practically demanded his parents to let Jeno attend a kindergarten, so he could have a normal childhood and make friends. Education at home wouldn't possibly prepare him for the hard ups and downs in life. Surprisingly there hadn't been a word of refusal, his parents had agreed wordlessly._

_The first year had been hard for a four years old Jeno- he'd confessed to Jaehyun when they were sitting in his room playing scribble- the kids often bullied him because he always had his nose stuck in a book, calling him a weirdo. The words hurt but there was nothing he could do because his little brother had always been shy around other people and to get him to open up would require a very empathic teacher- preferably a magician of some sort. Jaehyun had wished he'd be able to be the one but he was kind of bad with all this emotional stuff._

_It was Jeno's second year at kindergarten that something had changed as the little boy started coming home with a smile, his usual gloomy face gone by a miracle. And it **was**  a miracle, seeing his tiny teeth- still growing- shine brightly as he hopped up and down on his bed, smiling._  
_Jaehyun had asked him one evening before going to bed what happened only to receive a cheeky reply._

_'If you want to know, come pick me up from class tomorrow.'_

_And Jaehyun did just that. Not because Jeno told him to but because his curiosity was big and he needed to thank the Jesus at the kindergarten for his joyful brother._

_The classroom was filled with kids running everywhere, some doing things with teachers and some pulling pranks on each other. Jaehyun was growing a headache; the ladies had nerves of steel, being able to hold a smile while taking care of such hyperactive creatures._  
_Looking around, he'd spotted Jeno immediately- he could see the eye smile as the boy lifted his tiny head from the book after his name was being called out._  
_Jaehyun's heart did a somersault as he witnessed the scene before him- his brother high-fiving some other kid before leaving his seat to run to his big brother with a grin._

_'You made it!' He shouted in joy, leaping into the older's arms. Jeno was spun around and then squeezed in a tight hug._

_Jaehyun fought tears because what the actual fuck, had Jeno just high-fived another living person that wasn't from the family?_

_'Jeno, baby, who was that kid you read the book with?'_

_'Ah! That's Jaemin, my friend! He's really nice, he reads with me at lunch and I help him with math! And he likes hamburgers!' He exclaimed in a cheery voice while waving at the other boy from across the room, mouthing something that had both of them giggling. Oh God, how adorable was that? Nothing could describe how proud Jaehyun had felt in that moment. He couldn't help it and squeezed his brother tighter onto his chest, smiling big._

_'That's great. I'm happy you made a friend.'_

_'And it's all thanks to our new hyung!' Jeno nodded, tiny arms flailing in the air._

_A new teacher? Was that the Jesus that had saved his little brother from loneliness? Where was he? He had to thank him._  
_There was no need to ask out loud as the man had shown himself shortly after, fluffy black hair peeking from the tall bookshelf. Jaehyun was too immersed in the fact that his brother made a **friend**  he failed to notice his arms being empty, Jeno freeing himself to run to the teacher- only to bring him back to still-deep-in-thought Jaehyun by the hand._

_A deep yet soothing voice had snapped him back to reality._

_'Is that the hyung you always talk about, Jeno?'_

_The boy bobbed his head in a nod, waving his tiny unoccupied hand at Jaehyun's face. He'd then looked up, only to be face to face with the most gorgeous man he'd ever seen. Tall (about the same height as him, Jesus Christ) and slender, apron hugging tightly his thin waist; Jaehyun could snap his body in half if he tried hard enough- but then his eyes lingered further up, landing on a perfectly sculpted face- all sharp angles and God, such pretty lips- kitten shaped; perfect for ruining them with his tongue and teeth-_

_'Yes! That's Jaehyun! Isn't he handsome?' Jeno's cheery voice stopped the flow of inappropriate thoughts evading Jaehyun's mind. A tiny finger was pointing at his face and being back to his confident self again, Jaehyun had actually coughed to get the cute teacher's attention. And boy, the widened look from the cutie was a sight to behold. Not to mention he blushed mad red as Jaehyun dared to honor him with his best smile- the one he used when **flirting**  because hell, he couldn't possibly let the chance slip away. All his side-chicks aside, the teacher was honestly a delectable main dish and if he was being charismatic enough (not that he wasn't already but just in case), he'd have him wrapped around his fingers in no time._  
_The way the raven was holding himself, blushing and averting his beautiful, sharp eyes just to avoid looking at anything but him had Jaehyun thinking he was dealing with an inexperienced person, relationship-wise, at least. He might be wrong of course, but he'd had a knack at pointing out virgins. Jeno's teacher was one of them._

_'Thank you for taking care of my brother.' Still smiling, he extended his hand for the other man to take._

_'The pleasure is mine,' he was offered a smile in return, 'Jeno is a kind and smart boy. I'm glad he's finally made a friend.' Despite the seemingly soft behavior, his hold was firm and wow, Jaehyun had to physically restrain himself from imagining those lithe fingers wrapped around his dick._

_'Yeah. He's a bit shy and I don't know what kinda magic did you use, but thanks a bunch. I don't have to worry about him being left alone anymore.' He squeezed his hand tighter, but not hard enough to hurt. That was the last thing he'd wanted. 'Are you the new teacher by the way? I haven't seen you around before.'_

_The cutie nodded silently, withdrawing his hand only to be held in Jeno's own tiny one. 'It's not a permanent job, though. I'm here on an internship because of my major. Working with kids is exhausting but it's more comfortable for me than dealing with other adults,' he confessed shyly, gnawing on his plush bottom lip. It took all of Jaehyun's willpower to not stare at him without looking like a pervert. Scaring the guy away wasn't on the menu today._

_'How many weeks you have left?'_

_'This is his second out of three!' Jeno had informed before the teacher could open his mouth. 'I want hyung to teach us forever though,' he pouted, looking up at him with sad eyes._

_'We can hang out sometime if you want,' the guy offered out of the blue and Jaehyun's brain had stopped functioning for a brief moment and before he knew it he stepped forward, nodding in unison with his brother._

_'Could you play with us today? We can go to Mcdonalds and have hamburgers!' Pleading eyes of his little brother locked with the teacher's._

_'I- I don't think.. so soon-' the cutie stuttered, almost tripping backward of the sudden attack full of pleading puppy eyes._

_'Please? Jaehyun hyung is paying, you can eat as much as you want!' Jeno was tugging at the sweater paw of the yellow cardigan, pulling the raven closer._

_'I do?' the brunet asked, dumbfounded for a second._

_'Yes!' Jeno didn't hesitate one bit with his answer, focusing back on persuading his teacher._

_'Okay.' He smiled. Wasn't it like a date if he was paying for the meal, though?_

_The smile turned into a grin._

_Ganging up on the cute guy like that was overwhelming, the brunet could say as much, seeing the pretty face scrunched in conflict- he was sure the other didn't have the heart to refuse a teary-eyed Jeno. The kid was too good at persuading, just like his big brother._

_A glint of hesitation run across those dark-colored eyes, Jaehyun noticed but the words leaving those sinful lips afterward washed off every doubt eating at his insides._

_Not sparing Jaehyun a glance, the teacher crouched down to be eye-level with Jeno, hand still clutched in his tiny one. 'Hyung still has some things to do,' he said, Jeno's face faltering, 'but if you wait for a little while, then I'll go play with you and your brother,' he then looked up, making brief eye contact with Jaehyun as if asking for permission._

_Hell, he didn't have to ask twice._

_'Please, by any means.' The brunet flashed him the best smile he had in store._

_'It's a date, then!' Jeno shouted a bit too loud, grinning before taking off to his friend Jaemin to tell him the great news._

_'You shouldn't make your date wait too long,' Jaehyun suggested, gesturing to Jeno as the 'date', trying to suppress a laugh. He was ignored but he could make of the guy rolling his eyes._

_For the past twenty minutes, body relaxed in a comfortable chair and a pillow supporting his back, Jaehyun quietly observed the cute guy loiter around the classroom, chatting up some kids whose parents came to pick them up._

_'Okay, I'm done for today. Shall we go then?' The teacher smiled, packing his things._

_Jeno had jumped in joy as he heard stuff being moved from the teacher's desk,  apron folded neatly only to be put in a backpack and wow, it was such a cute one; as much as its owner, honestly- pastel blue with anime pins and key straps. The teacher was an interesting kind- to Jaehyun, at least. He'd never dated a geek- as most of his dates never lasted more than a few weeks and the majority of things they had in common was a hunger for a good fuck. Dating this type of guy would be definitely a first; if he ever got to date him, that is. It might take some time because the cutie was a shy one but Jaehyun believed in himself and his unbeatable charisma to get the date. He always got what he wanted, anyway._

_It didn't take even an hour for him to get the date._

_Sitting on the bench outside Mcdonalds, Happy Meal box open and robbed of its yummy contents, Jeno was smiling mischievously at the two hyungs seated on his either sides, chewing on the burgers in silence. Being the smart boy he is, the tension between the young adults didn't go unnoticed and since he was feeling bold, he decided to take his chance and ask._

_'Wouldn't it be better if hyung dated Jaehyunnie so we could play more often?' The suggestion had both boys choking on their food, Jaehyun was quick to recover but the cutie was sporting a rather prominent blush on the apples of his cheeks._

_**Nice one, Jeno.** _

_He thought he couldn't love his little brother more than humanly possible but he was so, so wrong. God bless this pure child for playing a matchmaker. The brunet didn't even have to try hard to make a move; Jeno himself did that for him._

_He looked to his left, searching for the other man's eyes, grinning._

_'I'm not opposed to the idea.' No, of course not; Jaehyun was deliberately **keen**  of the idea, literally praying to God to meet a nod of agreement._

_Two pairs of eyes then turned to the teacher, expecting an answer._  
_The look on that pretty face showed genuine surprise; dainty fingers playing nervously on his lap. There was no way he'd shy away; not when he had Jeno tugging at his sweater paw, eyes round big, pleading._

_'I-' he paused to take a breath, 'I'll think about it.' The guy was still blushing, averting his gaze from Jaehyun, until they bid their farewell, ending the time spent together._

_It took approximately about two weeks of going out (consisting mostly of both of them playing around with Jeno), sharing drinks and sneaking shy glances at one another before the now freshly blond Jaehyun had received a soft 'yes' from those kitten lips._

 

*****

 

'You fucking dyed your hair because the dude mentioned you'd look nice with it?' Mingyu tried so hard to hide the snicker behind the mug but failed as his friend rolled his eyes.  
'But seriously, man, a _teache_ r? Isn't the dude like, a bit too older? I know age doesn't really matter but a _teacher_?' Mingyu said after the last drops of coffee slipped through his parted lips. The basket with the muffins was still on the island, left forgotten from the night before. Jaehyun was side-eyeing the sweets while talking his heart out but was strangely polite and didn't touch the thing.

'Calm down,' the blond rolled his eyes, 'he's just a year older, no big deal. Christ, were you even listening?' He sighed.

The last question went ignored as Mingyu straightened in his seat and put on a rather serious look, asking.

'Well- you done the nasty yet?' he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Jaehyun raised one of his own at that.

'Depends on what you consider 'nasty',' he smiled into his half-empty cup. He saw a shrug and then a casual _'did you do the dicking?'_  from the brunet. It was cheeky and really, he didn't expect anything else.  
'Well, the furthest we've gone was me eating him out, so that doesn't really count but fear not,' he gulped the last drops of the coffee down his throat, 'boy won't be a virgin for long,' he finished with a wink and put his now empty cup in the sink.

'Ugh. Knowing you had your tongue up his ass is an unnecessary information I'll be trying to forget for _days_ , thanks.' Mingyu fake gagged, sitting up from the bar stool to wash the cups. Jaehyun's little story had taken a good thirty minutes and there wasn't much time left for him to prepare for school. Christ, he shouldn't have let him talk for that long.

'Aw, I didn't literally say all that, I just hinted something but your tiny brain had interpreted it the dirty way. How's the harpy doing, by the way? Still banging?'

'The harpy' was Jaehyun's nickname for Dahyun; they were often bickering, constantly competing for Mingyu's attention and he'd be lying if that didn't boost his ego a little. It'd get annoying sometimes, both trying to usurp a bit of his time while showering each other with spite, tearing Mingyu by the arms in half. It was hard to indulge his girlfriend and his friend to do activities together as a trio- but now that Jaehyun was dating someone, it'd be nice to do stuff as a _quartet_ , leaving no one feeling left out. Mingyu just hoped his friend would be entertained long enough to keep his boyfriend for more than just a month. It was already a miracle he'd managed to stay with the dude without having an actual sex. Well, yet.

 _Guy must be really something,_  Mingyu thought.

'I see you're still about that but too bad, we're still a thing and banging just right,' the brunet shrugged, buttoning up his dress shirt. 'Sorry.'

Jaehyun didn't bother with a remark, he grabbed at the basket instead, pulling out a muffin- shoving it quickly in his mouth before Mingyu could take it from him.  
He was pierced thoroughly by a pair of warm, deep brown-colored eyes, but right now the warmth was replaced with anger.

'Hands off of my breakfast, lunch, and dinner,' Mingyu growled, defending Wonwoo's delicious muffins from those sinful hands.

'Aw! It was just one! But it was fucking good, you baked them?' Jaehyun pouted, sad.

'Bitch, I wish I did. But it was a gift from a friend.' He didn't notice he was smiling until Jaehyun reminded him with a sly grin.

'Must be a _good_  friend, then.' He snickered loudly before being smacked on the head.

 

*****

 

Wonwoo made it to his apartment on Monday evening, thanks to Jeongguk who had stuck to him until he had to leave for college only to come back later to hang out with him after his classes ended. Which was super exhausting, if you ask him but his younger brother could be very persisting. It should've been evident on his face the fatigue was real but Jeongguk wasn't having any of this. When Wonwoo had voiced out he seriously needed to get back to his dorm and _study_ , the younger just made a long face, pouting.

'You left me hanging yesterday and I had to actually study so this is my payback for not paying enough attention to me,' he'd said, not ashamed of the scene he was causing at all. There were people watching, some whispering behind their back and some- probably girls- were bluntly checking both brothers out.  
Wonwoo had felt his migraine creep up behind his temples again but let himself being dragged to the park near his apartment. He was forced to play badminton and listen to his brother's complaints about how unfair his teachers were and the coach expecting miracles from their team. Honestly, Wonwoo just wanted to lay down on his soft couch and cuddle his cat. Maybe read a good book, too. It wasn't possible when you had someone like Jeon Jeongguk as your clingy little brother who had pledged to protect you from the evil of this world. It may sound unbelievable but he really did say that; after Wonwoo's first break-up with a boy from his high school, a fifteen years old Jeongguk was beyond mad because someone hurt his hyung and he couldn't handle the sorrow look on his face. _'It hurts me seeing you like this'_  and _'you ate my favorite ice cream, too'_  he'd said, hugging him close to his chest. When tears started to fill in the corners of Wonwoo's eyes, Jeongguk took his hands in his, a serious look on his face.

'I swear if someone hurts you again, the bitch better be running before I fucking break all their bones in their body,' he huffed, angry. 'Don't worry, hyung. I'll protect you from the assholes.' The softness of his voice lulled Wonwoo to sleep but he nodded absentmindedly before passing out because his little brother was so cute, worried about his well-being.

Wonwoo didn't think he'd take the protecting thing _literally_ , though.

It was all good and stuff until he'd started dating a man again. Jeongguk's protectiveness had gradually increased since then, resulting in a very frustrated Jaehyun who could only sneak a kiss when the younger wasn't looking. Something about his boyfriend made his brother show his fangs and bit at the little happiness he tried to keep.  
As it had turned out, both Jaehyun and Jeongguk had known each other since their first year on the basketball team and tolerated one another's presence but Wonwoo had noticed that ever since he'd introduced Jaehyun to his family as his _boyfriend_ , something in Jeongguk snapped and his behavior around the other changed drastically. Wonwoo started to think it was his fault, for accepting the hand of another man, trying to live a less lonely life.

Feeling the fatigue take over his already tired body, he pulled at the doorknob of his apartment, lips curving into a smile as he thought of his soft bed and the tiny roommate sharing it with him. God, Jeongguk had drained every energy out of him, he may as well fall dead asleep on the floor in the hall. The key clicked a sound and pushing at the door, he stepped inside. The first thing he'd noticed was a pair of shoes not belonging to him. Wonwoo let out a strained sigh, knowing the owner of those peculiar rainbow-colored boots very well.

_Goodbye sleep._

'My son!' A voice had called out to him and after Wonwoo took off his shoes, he was welcomed by a very cheery Soonyoung sprawled on his couch, the ginger ball of fur settled comfortably on his lap. There was a very faint sound of the TV playing some program for kids.

'Yes, of course you can come in, _hyung_ ,' the raven put a good amount of spite into the last word as he stepped into the spacious living room. Soonyoung was grinning nonetheless, ignoring the sarcasm thrown at his person. 'Also I'd rather choke myself than to be your son.'

'Aw, what's got you like this? Did someone bend the corner of a book?' Soonyoung teased, lifting his ass off the couch to pull the other in a tight, suffocating hug. What was the deal with people hugging him like their lives depended on it?

Wiggling out of those tentacle arms, Wonwoo huffed out: 'Jeongguk.' The name alone had the shorter boy nod, a sympathetic look painting his face. For the long five years he'd known the younger, Soonyoung could point out blindly the things that worked his friend up. His little brother was one of them. Jeongguk was a really good kid but his brother-complex was sometimes hard to put up with. The amount of affection he was showing towards the eldest brother would leave anyone wondering with questions on his person. Brothers were meant to pull pranks and be mean to each other but clearly, this wasn't the Jeons' case. Many times it had left Soonyoung wondering but voicing out his concerns was a big fat no- to Jeongguk, at least- he liked being friends with Wonwoo and he'd like it to stay it that way, thank you very much.

'Is he the reason why you're so late?' He didn't need an answer as he looked at Wonwoo's face. Jesus, the kid sure was something. His friend looked like he'd pass out any second, skinny legs wobbling, tired from all the previous activities.

Dropping his backpack on the couch, Wonwoo crouched down to pet his cat. He's gotten bigger. 'Mhm. How long you've been squatting here?' The question was aimed at his blond friend, who was playing with the TV remote. Standing up, Wonwoo walked over into the kitchen, seemingly untouched- meaning Soonyoung hasn't attempted cooking himself food yet. Well, the empty plastic bags and boxes scattered all over the table in the living room were a death giveaway. It didn't take a brain of Einstein to figure out that he'd decided for a fast-food. Soonyoung was lazy like that.

'I came over to tell you some good news but you weren't here,' he was given a reply, 'I thought you were tutoring someone again, being the honor student and all but I got kinda scared after two hours of waiting for your ass, I almost called the police, man,' the blond was clutching at his heart, sighing dramatically. 'Oh, and I already fed Ra his goodies, don't worry,' Soonyoung stopped Wonwoo from tearing off the pack of cat food. 'He ate his portion like a good boy.' Grinning, the blond literally crawled on all fours to softly brush at the cat's fluffy ears, receiving a satisfied purr. 'I swear he's getting bigger by days, is that normal for a Bengali cat?' He asked, eyes peeking curiously at Wonwoo who turned the stove on, probably about to cook a dinner.

He got a shrug for an answer.

'Beats me. I'm just glad he's healthy, don't really care if he grows out to be up my hip or higher,' he sighed, preparing to fry the boiled rice- a leftover gift from his mom. She knew her son hasn't been eating much since the semester had started so taking every chance she could get, a box full of ingredients was waiting for him by the door at every week's end. Sometimes she'd get him fresh vegetables and meat when they had both time, handing it to him personally. Wonwoo had to take care of himself but after all those years, he still hasn't been able to do so. It was worrisome but Soonyoung had reassured Mr. Jeon he'd keep an eye on her son. It was his duty as the best friend, duh.

The smell coming from the kitchen came right through the blond's nostrils and he sighed at the nice aroma filling in the usually hospital-clean air. Wonwoo made sure his apartment didn't reek of any sort of smell, afraid of making one friend in particular nauseatic because of their sensitive nose.

'What's for dinner, honey?' Soonyoung asked, peeking over his friend's shoulder, curious.

'Am I your son or your wife?' Wonwoo shot a question back at him with faked interest. 'You gotta be specific.'

'Wife? God, I wish you were but then- your tiny ass wouldn't be able to handle my superior dick,' the blond shrugged, grinning at the disgusted face directed at him. Honestly, where was his decency? Soonyoung's mouth had no filter whatsoever. Someone please remind him why did he still put up with his stupid ass.

'How did Jae like the muffins?' The blond then asked, sliding a sneaky hand under Wonwoo's arm to nib at the spoon with rice on it. Smacking his lips in approvement, he shifted closer, getting bold by literally taking the raven's wrist, guiding it to the pan to grab a spoonful of the food. It looked like the younger was feeding him and Soonyoung really had to restrain himself from taking a photo of that. He'd embarrass Wonwoo in front of their mutual friends at Uni but he'd be dead not long after pulling such stunt.

'He didn't have the chance to. I gave the last batch to someone else,' Wonwoo sighed while stirring the rice with a spatula. 'He seemed to really like them.'

'You gave those deliciously looking muffins you've baked for your _boyfriend_  to someone fucking else?' A glimpse of worry flashed across the blond's eyes. 'Are you sick?' He put his free hand on Wonwoo's forehead, checking for a temperature. It was smacked away and a pair of annoyance-filled eyes turned to him. Soonyoung retreated back with a guilty smile then, settling for just a press of his front to Wonwoo's back.

'But seriously, who's the lucky dude?' he asked right after they'd settled comfortably on the couch, bowls with food in hands. Wonwoo let out an exhausted sigh, fingers running through his messy-from-cooking hair. Hoping he'd avoid answering the question had been a lost battle the moment the blond opened his mouth. Telling Soonyoung about Mingyu might end up with endless teasing and annoying interrogation because Jeon Wonwoo never shared his food with fucking strangers.  
Getting comfortable, back pressed against the fluffy cushion, the raven tasted a spoon of the fried rice before he answered to his fidgeting friend.

He'd told Soonyoung everything; from the awkward first meeting to Jeongguk's sulky outburst to him giving out the last basket full of sweets to a hunger-deprived Kim Mingyu. Some things were purposely left out (Soonyoung didn't have to know he was called cute and hugged by the giant, it'd follow a lot of questions and he was too tired to answer them all) but overall, Wonwoo had concluded, it was a good explanation of _why the fuck did you give your boyfie's muffins to a stranger?_  ask.

'Is he hot, though?' Was surprisingly the first thing the blond asked after a good minute of silence. Wonwoo thought it'd be something intelligent but really, what did he expect. His friend over here couldn't bother with basic questions like _'did you talk to him about anything?'_  or _'how's Tristan doing by the way?'_  but in Soonyoung's world, it was more important if a dude was hot. Really, now?  
Wonwoo chewed on his bottom lip. Their bowls were long finished, Ra cleaning the bottom of each one by licking the leftover rice grains with his kitten tongue. Contemplating whether to form a lie or not, Wonwoo had remembered the wide grin full of crooked teeth and prominent canines in the front and the tight arm muscles hidden under the soft fabric of a dress shirt as they'd wrapped around his back in a squeeze. Even if he decided to cover the truth, Soonyoung would find out one way or another. He wouldn't let him live it down.

Laying down on the couch, Wonwoo mumbled out 'I guess' before hiding his reddened face in a cushion. This earned him a rather playful smirk from Soonyoung and a nudge to his ribs.

'Aw! Do I smell a new friend? You gotta introduce him to us!' He sounded overly excited, making Wonwoo groan in frustration. No way. They weren't on the friend level yet, he couldn't possibly let Mingyu meet his circle of friends slash weirdos minus Jihoon. Knowing Soonyoung though, it was clear the tall giant will become a huge topic at lunch break tomorrow. God, and when Wonwoo started to think he'd avoid such thing...

'We're just acquaintances, he hasn't even replied to my goodnight text I sent him, it was rude as hell,' Wonwoo frowned, showing the message on the phone to a curious Soonyoung. It was clear that Mingyu had left him on a fucking read and the thought alone was so hilarious, the blond actually couldn't contain his amusement and let out an obnoxious laugh.

'What's so funny? I just wanted to make sure he made it home safely, streets are dangerous these days, I tell you.' Wonwoo pouted.

The words had Soonyoung burst into a fit full of unmanly giggles, fingers gripping hard at his thighs to keep a balance.

'I swear you're starting to resemble Taeyong hyung with all that motherly attitude,' the blond said with his mouth sore from all the laughing. 'I don't know if that's a good thing or not.'

Wonwoo frowned at his direction, petting Ra's soft fur. 'Hey, that's rude. He's a nice hyung,' shrugging his shoulders, he retorted back.  
Soonyoung nodded. That was true. The petite red-haired senior at their Uni had been actually oddly patient with Wonwoo and his clumsiness in the kitchen. Good at teaching his lazy ass with complex recipes he's found on the internet, too. How he managed to transform the sloth Wonwoo living off on instant noodles into a chef of a nice restaurant, he wasn't sure; it must've have been some sort of sorcery. Not gonna lie, since his friend got himself into cooking (because his boyfie had once said he liked homemade food the best), Soonyoung actually came to enjoy the food he's been served at his apartment. After he'd humiliated himself with a cringy aegyo (Wonwoo's words) in front of him to get him to cook for him. It had proved to be not an easy task as the raven was hard to entertain. The blank face wasn't helping at all but after a few tries, Soonyoung had actually got the right thing to make it work. It was something he was especially good at- being persistent.

Having his pet curled into a ball on the couch beside him, Wonwoo looked up to finally ask the most important thing.

'What's the good news you wanted to tell me?'

The quiet noise from the TV was replaced by a very cheery and loud voice. 'Oh yeah, that! I signed up for a dance competition,' the blond was bouncing excitedly on the couch across from him, grinning. 'The first round is being held at the auditorium in Gangnam this weekend. You know the contestants have to come up with their own stuff and that's also the reason why I've been kinda neglecting your ass,' he explained but he knew Wonwoo would understand. He always did. Always taking his schedule into consideration when making plans, supportive of almost all the shit he's got on going. It was as if the younger had taken on the role of a mother in their group. Taeyong hyung's habits were rubbing off on him. In a good way, mostly.

Before the raven could say something, like congratulate him, Soonyoung leaped from his spot to sit beside the empty space on Wonwoo's left side.

'I had Jihoon to compose the song and it's a certified bop,' the blond explained, eyes smiling. 'I have most of the choreo done and I want you to come to cheer for me.' Holding his hands in his, he looked up at him, expectant. 'Pretty please.'  
Those tiny eyes were overwhelming and Wonwoo was too soft (and tired) to actually refuse. He'd get to deal with a sulky hamster otherwise, a situation he'd rather avoid, thank you very much.

'I'll come,' he said, confirming Soonyoung's you're-not-kidding face with a nod. Enthusiastic, the older had jumped off the couch to show the excitement with a little victory dance, making Wonwoo giggle.

'Yas, bitch! Can't wait to show my masterpiece to you!' He was dancing in circles now, hands up. 'It's gonna be a blast!'

He grabbed Wonwoo by the wrist to join him in the silly dance and for a while the younger had let himself loosen up a bit, jumping with Soonyoung in a circle like he was five again.

Needless to say, he'd ended up in bed a good two hours later with Soonyoung pressed against his back, leg draped over his waist in a comfortable position, completely ignoring the fact that there was a guest room available for use.  
Being spent beyond words from both his brother and friend, Wonwoo ignored the limbs suffocating him from behind and drifted off to sleep, unaware of the slight buzzing of his phone, still buried deep on the bottom of his pastel blue backpack.

_You have received (2) new messages._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~*whispers* I love SoonWoo as a brotp ;;~~


	3. Three.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a vague description of a panic attack in the beginning, so please proceed with caution.  
>  ~~Wonwoo also cries a lot in this chapter.~~

Wonwoo had honestly no idea how that happened. One second he was sleeping, squished between Soonyoung's legs and then something wet was pressing against his nose, itching. Even when being still one step in the nice AU he'd been dreaming about, he could make out of the source, making him sneeze. Ra was being overly touchy in the morning, brushing his fur against the skin of his owner, demanding attention. Bringing his hand sleepily to pet him, Wonwoo lazily opened his eyes to see the tip of his nose being licked. A tickling sensation ran through his spine and he shivered, the weight behind him shifting into another position.  
Ra was purring into the touch, tail wagging in satisfaction. Moments like these helped Wonwoo get through lazy mornings the best; just having his pet so close to him, sharing each other's warmth. Getting to school after leaving his baby in Mrs. Kang's care always left him feeling a bit down but the excitement of seeing him again in the afternoon kept him from making his desk a pillow so he actually could pay attention in class. Speaking of that, he should be getting ready to school- what time it was? It couldn't have been more than seven. He checked the clock on his nightstand.

_9:40 am._

Wonwoo had never been awake that quickly. Sitting straight up, sweat covering his forehead from the warmth caused by Soonyoung's body heat, he took another look at the clock, eyes widening because no- his clock made in Switzerland had never lied to him. It wasn't lying even now. It really was almost ten in the morning, meaning he had about twenty minutes to make himself look as decent as possible and drive his ass to Uni. Oh, don't forget to make lunch for both him and Soonyoung. And leave his pet in his neighbor's care. Christ, where was his phone?  
Frantic, Wonwoo shifted to the side, shaking his friend by the shoulders like mad, receiving a displeased grunt and _'five more minutes'_  from the blond.

'There's no more five minutes, you ass. It's almost ten. We're gonna be late to class. Fuck.' He cursed, annoyed by the lack of response from the boy beside him. Shaking his shoulders once more, Wonwoo eventually got tired of getting nothing out of it and frowned, rolling off the bed. 'Fine. Die sleeping for all I care, just for your information, you won't be getting any kimbap from me and don't expect me going to your performance either.' With that said, the raven left the bedroom, Soonyoung's horrified gasp echoing loudly through the open door. Wonwoo had no time to respond, really, he barely made it to the bathroom when a flock of blond hair ran past him, blocking his path. No. He wasn't going to argue when there were literally seconds away from losing his status of being the honor student who was _always_  right on time.

'I'm up and good, see?' Soonyoung huffed, eyes still closed from sleep. 'Please don't break your promise, anything but that.' He was close to tears and that was the last thing he wanted. Especially when he was in a hurry.

'Geez, okay. Just move and let me at least brush my teeth, Christ.' Wonwoo sighed as the path before him had cleared and he could wash away the feel of his morning breath.

'Can I borrow your shirt? I got sauce on mine yesterday.' Soonyoung had then shouted at him from the bedroom, not waiting for an answer. When Wonwoo returned back, fifteen minutes until his class, he was being attacked by a pile of clothes thrown at his direction. Not bothering to check what his friend chose for him, he slipped off his nightwear, putting on a fresh one. He could care less if he looked like some wannabe hip-hop teen, he'd go to school wearing a school girl uniform if it got him to class on time.

'Hurry the fuck up, Soon!' The raven waved at the other frantically, hand busy holding the travel box with Ra tucked inside, backpack heavy with books and lunches hanging off his shoulder. An alarming display of numbers was showing on his phone he had problems with bringing out of the bottom of his bag and Soonyoung was still mingling with his fucking _hair_.

'I'm coming!' Wonwoo was already half out of the apartment when a wild Kwon Soonyoung appeared, face red from all the rush but his hair majestic. _Of course._

'There's not much time left. We're gonna be late. Oh my God.' The younger could feel tears pricking at the corners of his eyes, it was embarrassing but he tried to hold them in- for his sake. Damaging his perfect attendance would destroy him. But he was strong, he could manage and arrive on time. _You'll be fine, you'll be fine,_ he repeated the words like a mantra to himself, taking deep breaths to avoid triggering his anxiety.

After leaving Ra in Mrs. Kang's care, both students sprinted off to Wonwoo's SUV, changing their seats so that Soonyoung could drive. On normal occasions when there was no need to rush things, Wonwoo would've defended his driver seat with nails and teeth but now he had no choice but to leave it to his hyung. To get to school on time, they needed Soonyoung's driving skills.

Wonwoo prayed silently to God before he buckled up, the engine rumbling dangerously under Soonyoung's command and he prepared for one hell of a ride.

Even with Soonyoung's skills, it was evident they wouldn't make it. Wonwoo's anxiety had blown out fully when he checked the time (10:05, oh my God) after his friend literally threw the keys at him. Deep breaths didn't help him get through it but luckily Soonyoung was perceptive enough to take notice of his friend shaking like a sudden, cold breeze had licked his body. Rushing over to him, he took a hold of those skinny hands, rubbing at them with his fingers to calm him down. It did help a little but Wonwoo's pupils were still dilated, slowly submerging into his subspace whenever the bar of his anxiety reached a high level.

Slapping his cheeks as gently as he could, Soonyoung whispered:

'Wonu-ya, look at me.' His tone was demanding enough to get the pair of fox-like eyes lock with his own. 'It's gonna be okay, just take a deep breath,' he said, voice quiet but strong, 'you can do it for me, right?' A flutter of dark eyelashes tickled the skin on Soonyoung's throat as Wonwoo rested his head in the crook of his neck, nodding.

'I'm sorry,' the younger whispered, voice small. Soonyoung patted him gently on his back, drawing circles with his fingers in a soothing manner. He should've known this would happen. He was so excited from all the stuff happening and sharing it with his friend he forgot to set up a wake-up call when they had classes the next day. Wonwoo got anxious about his attendance a lot, triggering the trauma he'd suffered from when he still attended high school. While being late wasn't much of a deal for Soonyoung, it caused a huge mess in Wonwoo's brain. Disrupting the years of arriving to classes on time, sometimes with spare minutes to go, would destroy his perfectionist mind. The mere thought of teachers looking at him disappointed had him shaking on the verge of tears. Of course it was an unnecessary overreaction; the majority of their teachers gave zero fucks about students arriving on time for their classes if they managed to get through the exams but then again, they didn't know what had happened to Wonwoo that time in high school- not even Soonyoung. It kind of hurt his pride as a friend not being worthy enough of his dongsaeng's trust but he understood. It was something he had to give him time to talk about. He might've never told him but Soonyoung was fine with that, too. He'd suppress his curiosity if it made his friend comfortable.  
Calmed down a bit, Wonwoo wiped off the tears with his sleeves, breaking off the hug. His nerves were still tense and he had to get to his psychology class but the other's presence helped him tone down his anxiety.

'Feelin' better?' The blond asked, fingers rubbing the back of his hands gently. Wonwoo nodded, eyes puffy from the crying.

'Thanks,' he mumbled quietly, taking the offered tissue his friend pulled out from God knows where. He could count on him when it mattered the most and he was glad for that.

'I'm not a best friend for nothing,' Soonyoung exclaimed proudly, flexing his arms. Wonwoo chuckled at his statement, smacking the bulky arm lightly.

'I know.' 

***** 

It was precisely 10:20 when Wonwoo, with a help of his best friend (Soonyoung had glued himself to his side since the breakdown, accompanying him to his classroom) when he entered the room. The first thing he noticed was the empty seat at the teacher's desk usually filled by this time. Sighing out of relief, he took his usual seat near the big window- now opened because of the heat, falling immediately into a pair of welcoming arms beside him.

'Hyuuung,' he whined like a baby, a sight you'd never see if you weren't Lee Taeyong and on some rare occasions Seo Youngho. 'I thought I was a goner,' Wonwoo exhaled loudly, drawing two pairs of eyes at him.

'What happened?' The red-head asked, rocking them back and forth as much as their position allowed them to.

'I kinda woke up late because Soonyoung forgot to set up the alarm and I really panicked when we arrived late,' he explained, face buried in the soft material of his hyung's sweater. 'Thank God Mr. Kim isn't here yet.' A sigh escaped his lips, still quivering.

'Is this why you look like a twelve years old?' It was Youngho's amused voice who tugged curiously at the white snapback on Wonwoo's head. He was being warned by a stern look from his boyfriend.

'My boy just got through a panic attack and you're concerned about this? Really, Youngho?' Taeyong shook his head in disbelief, rolling his eyes as the other gave him a shrug.

'It's not my doing. Soonyoung chose the outfit,' Wonwoo looked at him, red from embarrassment. With one last pat on his back, he eventually pulled away from the warm embrace to take a book out of his backpack. Putting his phone on the desk with it he just then noticed the notifications on the screen. Being preoccupied with things, he hadn't noticed he received a message- no, _messages_ from- holy shit- Mingyu?

'Oh my God.' He said a bit too loudly after reading the text, getting curious looks from his classmates. He could care less because he still couldn't believe his eyes. What did he just read?

**[Monday, 08:26pm] From: Mingyu**

_Sorry for replying just now but thank you for your concern- I got home in one piece and I ate every last one of your muffins at Uni today- sadly one got snatched by my friend but it's okay cause from now on I intend to defend every bit of food cooked by you with everything I've got ^^_

'Oh my God.' The raven repeated again, fighting the blush spreading warily across his cheeks. Then sneaky fingers swiftly took his phone away, ending up in Youngho's firm hold. Smiling widely, he read the messages out loud, deepening the redness on Wonwoo's face.

'I hope we'll get to know each other better during that 'thing' on Wednesday~,' Youngho snickered as he finished reading, handing the device to his flushed friend.  
Wonwoo covered his face with his hands. How embarrassing his friend could get? God.

'Wow, bro. Is that the Mingyu I think he is?' A sudden question had Wonwoo look up to face his friend.

Gnawing at his bottom lip, he replied. 'Depends if the Mingyu you have in mind is the one with his politician mother and goes by the family name Kim.'

'Yeah, that's him! He's friends with your man, they go to Uni together,' Youngho nodded vigorously. Wonwoo's eyebrows shot up at the information. Jaehyun hadn't mentioned having a friend like Mingyu. What a strange coincidence.  
'Anyway, what's the 'thing' he mentioned?' He asked, peeking over Taeyong's shoulder.

'Stop asking him questions,' his boyfriend then interrupted, placing a hand over Youngho's face, pushing him back on his seat.

Wonwoo gave his hyung a grateful look. Really, he wasn't in the mood to answer, and now wasn't the best time to do it as the cranky teacher had entered the room, apologizing for being late. 

***** 

Avoiding Youngho's questions didn't mean Wonwoo would be free from all the prying eyes during their lunch break. Gathered in a small circle under a big tree, books laid open on a soft blanket and boxes full of a variety of food the guys had brought from home or, in some cases, from the dormitory, he felt rather unpleasant under those eyes scrutinizing him. Even though Wonwoo's cooking skills were praised highly, making him proud inside, it couldn't possibly compete with the flawless lunch Taeyong had brought for everyone to have. He always thought of others, bringing food to his forever hungry boyfriend as well as his young roommate named Mark who had just as an endless pit of a stomach as him. The trio reminded him a bit of a family, doing things together and all that stuff. It was really cute, especially the way Taeyong cared for the junior; doing homework with him, preparing lunches and making sure the young one had enough sleep- Mark had strangely reminded him of Bohyuk, his little brother, youngest of the three, who had been in the US, studying his ass off so his dad's company would have a suitable heir in the future. He missed him so much. Skype calls were nothing compared to meeting him face to face, arms available for a hug.  
Wonwoo sighed. How long had it been since the last time he was able to properly feel the warmth of his hug? Too long. Maybe he should visit him, make sure he's doing alright-  
Soonyoung's hand on his back snapped him back to reality. Wonwoo blinked, rubbing his eyes, tired from all the reading and smiled at his friend who was chewing his portion of kimbap. He received a praise from Taeyong as the older tasted a spoon of the meal, smacking his lips in approval. Wonwoo blushed at the words, thanking the man while eating quietly. The ruckus around their table always brought attention, his friends were far from reserved; rather they were a bunch of loud mouths and stupid laughs at jokes no one but them could understand. Honestly, as loud as they were, Wonwoo wouldn't trade them for anything in the world.

'You guys heard about Wonu's new hot friend?' Soonyoung then asked loudly through a mouth full of food. There was a couple of heads shaking no, leaving only Youngho and Taeyong nodding that yes, they sort of knew.

'You mean Mingyu, right?' Youngho then asked, searching for any sort of confirmation. He continued speaking when the blond eagerly nodded. 'The dude really is hot, not as much as me of course, but he's got a good amount of inches on me,' he pouted, waving his hand above his head so their friends would understand. 'Though I'm big where it counts,' he winked at his boyfriend who smacked him on the head. Laughs then erupted at Youngho's silliness. Wonwoo was smiling ever so slightly, still aware of the topic he'd rather avoid. To no avail though as Soonyoung had butted in again.

'Is he really that hot? We can't trust Wonu's definition of hot since he finds characters from books hot,' the blond shook his head, making everyone laugh. Wonwoo wanted to strangle him.

'His boyfriend is hot though,' Mark, God bless this child, came to his rescue.

'He might be but you never know- what's hot for one, doesn't have to be hot for another,' Soonyoung got all literal, and honestly, Wonwoo's hands were ready to attack.

'But Mingyu really is hot,' Youngho tried hard to prove his point, 'I don't have any pics on me but you could ask Wonwoo for one- he's meeting him tomorrow after all,' he grinned in triumph, like he expected Wonwoo would actually take a photo of a stranger (he wasn't really but they've met only once) just to prove him right. Pft. No way.

'Wow, wow, hold on-' Soonyoung turned to his best friend who pretended he's reading a book (upside down, really?), scoffing as he put the thing down so he could see his eyes. 'You kinda forgot to tell me such important stuff,' he acted offended, 'what's the occasion?'

Wonwoo didn't want to answer that but everyone's looks were on him, expectant and he gave in to the pressure.

'His cousin is the one getting married to Jeongguk. They still need to hold a proper meeting so our moms decided it to be on Wednesday, which is tomorrow, and forced both me and Mingyu to make sure everything goes smoothly,' he explained, slowly so the words would sink in, especially in Soonyoung's and Youngho's case. Nodding that they understand the situation, his friends returned back to whatever stuff they were doing, leaving the topic behind. Wonwoo was glad for that. Any more and he'd combust.

'So,' it was Soonyoung's voice whispering in his ear, 'when are you gonna call him?' The question caused Wonwoo's brow to raise. 'I mean, ask him the time for you guys to meet up.' The raven stiffened. Crap. He forgot about that. He forgot to ask his mom for details. It honestly slipped his mind, being busy with other things but he should've asked sooner. Now he had no choice than to contact Mingyu- in hope the younger knew the exact time of the set-up. Good lord.

'I'll text him-' He mumbled, about to open the message box on his phone when a hand forced him to close the app. Looking up, confused at the action, he was met with Soonyoung's disapproving face.

'No no, my brother,' he shook his head, 'you call him and ask- no texting.' Why the heck was he so adamant?

'But texting is easier,' Wonwoo protested, whining. 'You know I hate phone calls.'

'That's why you gotta man up and do it,' the blond insisted, fingers ready to dial Mingyu's number at any second. 'Also I wanna hear his voice.' The last sentence was barely audible but Wonwoo heard that and his frown deepened. How impatient his friend could get, really. But he complied in the end, as thanks for keeping an eye on him this morning. He was about to push the dial button when a melodic buzz vibrated from his phone. Was Mingyu telepathic because wow, his timing couldn't have been better. Soonyoung's jaw dropped a little, drawing their friends' attention at them and Wonwoo wanted to become one with the ground. How could he possibly answer the call when there were so many eyes watching his every move.

'It's him!' Soonyoung then whispered in a hushed manner, yanking the phone from the younger's hold and like the little fucker he was, he picked up.

'Hello?'

***** 

Tuesdays were honestly one of the most boring days ever, in Mingyu's opinion. Honestly, all of his classes were uninteresting, he'd tell the economics to kindly fuck off but at this point, he was too exhausted to even _bother_. This semester was going to kill him. Jesus. The only thing keeping him awake in his classes was Jaehyun's banter and the thought of seeing Dahyun at breaks. The girl seemed to drop her temper around his blond friend after he'd shown up with him yesterday. It was such a huge improvement since hearing the constant teasing and blabbering from their side always got on his nerves. But something had changed, Mingyu had honestly no idea what was the cause but he was thankful. They still competed over his attention, though in small portions.

Looking at his phone, blank with the lack of messages, Mingyu wondered if the texts he'd sent to Wonwoo had been a good choice. Well, it was rude of him to leave the cute guy on read, imagining his face coated in worry of not knowing if Mingyu managed to get home safely pained his heart. He thought he would appear less of a jerk if he sent back a reply, be it late as it was. But now he was the one being left on read. Not that he was anxiously laying on his bed last night, waiting for any sort of reply from Wonwoo, of course not. (He was but don't tell that to Jaehyun, he'd laugh at him.)  
But Tuesday had come and no answer popped up. Mingyu started to panic. He was given the details about the upcoming meeting but he wasn't sure if Wonwoo knew. It'd be pointless if he ended up being the only one keeping an eye on the kids. Spying was better with two people. That and Mingyu was aching to know Jeongguk's brother more. Befriending him, if possible. He'd keep from being overly touchy with him, even; honor Jeongguk's words of advice, just to make sure the older felt comfortable in his presence. For that to happen, Mingyu had to make sure.  
So, on their lunch break, right after one of the boring economy classes, he excused himself from their usual spot they occupied, walking off a good distance from his friends so he could dial Wonwoo's number without disturbing noises from their table. Hansol could get very vocal when he dropped off his new mixtape at them. He'd certainly scare the guy off if he heard weird noises in the background. The place near the court seemed perfect, no kids in sight, silent.  
Mingyu didn't notice his hands were sweating as he pressed the numbers on the keyboard, phone almost slipping off on the ground. Thank God for his good reflexes, he'd be screwed if the expensive thing broke down.  
While waiting for the other person to pick up, Mingyu tried to calm down, being nervous all of a sudden. He had to be fully prepared for that deep voice if he didn't want to come off as a stuttering mess. Brushing his free hand over his jeans to rub off the sweat, he took a deep breath when the sound of someone's voice disrupted the beeping.  
Mingyu took a breath one last time and-

 _'Hello?'_ That wasn't Wonwoo's voice. The tone was softer, almost cheerful. Who was that?

Mingyu scratched the back of his neck when he asked, blushing. 'Um, you're not Wonwoo hyung. I'm sure this is his number though. Are you perhaps his boyfriend?' Now that was a wild guess.  
He heard multiple gasps in the background, and someone choking on their food. Christ. Was he on speaker? Mingyu's cheeks burned hot.

 _'Ah yes, I am. You got business with my baby?'_ He heard the voice say, lower this time and then a loud _'fuck off, Soonyoung!'_ before a rustling invaded his earbuds, making Mingyu wince. That was Wonwoo for sure, fighting for his phone it seemed. He couldn't see the scene but just the thought made his lips turn upward in a grin. Then a silence followed before he heard someone sigh, exhausted.

 _'I turned the speaker off,'_ okay, that was definitely Wonwoo, _'I'm sorry for my friend, he's an ass,'_ he apologized but there was really no need to and Mingyu chuckled at the _'best friend, bitch!'_ coming from the Soonyoung guy in the background.

'It's okay, I have an ass friend, too,' he nodded even though no one could see him, leaning on the fence. 'I'm not disturbing you from anything, am I?'

 _'No, we were just having lunch. Have you eaten yet?'_ Wonwoo asked, a bit worried but that could be Mingyu's imagination. The motherly feeling he was giving off even through a basic phone call was cute still.

'I have,' he assured him, 'though I doubt my lunch tasted better than the one you made,' Mingyu pouted, not that the other boy could see it.

 _'I can't tell for sure because I haven't had the honor of tasting your food yet,'_ Wonwoo teased and he might've been smiling as the tone of his voice changed in pitch slightly. Wow. Mingyu didn't think the guy could ever appear so relaxed over the phone, he thought he'd be a stuttering mess no matter the situation. It was a nice change of pace. Wonwoo sounded so chill and Mingyu wanted to see him act like that in person, too.

'I'll cook something for you then,' he suggested, smiling widely when he heard Wonwoo giggle out: _'can't wait for it'._

A sudden eruption of people laughing caught his attention. Turning around to glance at the table his friends were gathered around, Mingyu rolled his eyes at Dahyun's piercing glare pointed towards Jaehyun who was in the middle of telling some joke, making her scoff. Well, at least they tried to appear cool around one another, Mingyu could give them that. He could see the effort behind that as his girlfriend was usually a fierce person, not taking shit from anyone, speaking up her mind when she didn't like something. Like Jaehyun, for example.  
He waved at her, smiling softly when she looked his way.

 _'Anyway, sorry for not replying to your messages, is that why you called me?'_ Wonwoo then asked in a whisper, probably to hide from his noisy friends. They were quite a lousy bunch but Mingyu was glad the older didn't have to spend eating lunches alone.

'Yeah,' he admitted, 'I wanted to make sure you know the time and place of the meeting.' Mingyu wasn't honestly expecting the answer he'd received after.

 _'I don't,'_ Wonwoo whispered, embarrassed, _'I was about to call to ask you about that but you were faster.'_

'Nice,' Mingyu couldn't help but grin, somewhat proud and also happy because the cute hyung would really call him if he hesitated for a bit longer. 'Well, I suppose you forgot to ask your mom about it,' he was stating the truth now, 'you know the coffee shop downtown named 'Clap'?' Mingyu continued after receiving a _'yes'_ from the other line, 'it's deadass the most expensive coffee shop in the whole Seoul but mother wants only the best for Yeri so I hope your brother is loaded enough to pay for the shit they offer there.'

Wonwoo laughed at that.

 _'You do realize our parents are rich, right?'_ The older boy said teasingly. _'Money isn't the problem here.'_ Mingyu nodded because yes, the only thing that mattered was if the kids could get comfortable around the whole fiancé thing.

'I know. Just hope your bro will behave,' running a hand through his hair, Mingyu confessed. He was still worried because he couldn't read the kid well. Being protective of Yeri, he couldn't help than to feel skeptical.

_'Don't worry, I'll knock some manners into his skull. While he can be embarrassing at times, I know he wouldn't do anything that would put our family to shame, not when our dad believes in him. He knows the cost if he fucks up.'_

Mingyu nodded. 'Okay then,' he regained his cool, relieved a bit after hearing Wonwoo's words. 'They planned the thing for the afternoon, around three if I'm not mistaken so we should meet up at least an hour beforehand if that's okay,' he suggested. 'We can't waltz in there while they have a conversation- it's better to appear invisible, you know, like ninjas,' Mingyu was getting excited just by the thought. Ninjas were so cool.

There was a moment of silence before Wonwoo spoke up again. _'Yes, perfect. I hope you can keep a low profile though, I don't really want Guk to roast me if he finds out.'_ It was a warning.

'Excuse me, I'm good at hiding,' Mingyu acted hurt, pouting. He didn't notice Dahyun's eyes following his every move like a hawk.

A soft laugh then invaded the younger's ear, resonating deeply in his bud and he smiled. Really, he could listen to Wonwoo's laugh for hours, it was so nice and cute. Too bad he couldn't see it with his own eyes.

_'Okay, I'll take you on that.'_

Mingyu was still smiling when Hansol's excited voice called out for him to get his ass over there. Their break was almost over, he didn't notice they've been talking for that long. Jesus.

'Fuck, sorry, I gotta go, break is over,' Mingyu found himself being disappointed, 'see you tomorrow, yeah?' He heard a hum and a _'don't forget to come on time'_ before he let Wonwoo hang up first.

Getting back to pick up his books, he helped Dahyun on her feet, securing his hand around her waist, kissing her on the temple.

'Who was that?' She gestured to the phone he was putting in the back pocket. If Mingyu didn't know her, he'd think she was jealous but even if that was the case, there was no need for her to be. Wonwoo was just one of many cute guys he'd befriended. Well, labeling the older as a friend was still a bit exaggerated but they were slowly getting there. Mingyu was sure they'd be friends by tomorrow evening.

'A friend,' he exclaimed boldly. Dahyun looked up at him, brow arched in question. 'He's a dude friend,' he smiled reassuringly, pulling her closer by the waist. Sometimes it could get hard to explain everything about the circle of friends he was meeting but Mingyu understood. She was just protecting her territory. Talking to or worse- befriending other girls that weren't Dahyun's friends was a big no. It looked like she was worried he'd take off the instant someone prettier batted their eyelashes at him and leave her for good but really, Mingyu had his eyes only for her. He was raised like that. Always treat your partner like they're the only good in the world.

Dahyun nodded, silent and squeezed his arm in a loving manner.

'Okay.'

***** 

Laying on his bed, music flowing soundly through his ears, Mingyu flipped the pages of some fashion magazine, looking for a suitable present for Yeri. Her birthday was right around the corner and he was left wondering what could he possibly buy her. Something pretty like her, a dress, maybe? She loved flower patterns and bright colors, he could definitely work with that.

'This one looks nice,' he hummed when he found a perfect match, scrolling through his phone to look at the website written in the corner of the magazine. Ordering the clothes was an easy task, being invested in his cousin's life quite a bit, Mingyu knew the exact size to order. Being close to Yeri, almost as close as a brother, it was just a matter of fact he'd know basic things; like the food that'd make her smile, favorite flower and of course, the size of her clothes. They were more like siblings than cousins.  
'So cute,' he chuckled after paying for his present. He couldn't wait to see Yeri's face when she opens his gift.

Unplugging the phone from the charger, he sat up, stretching out tired limbs. It was about time to get himself some nice fresh clothes to wear. Almost one in the afternoon, an hour before the friendly date with Wonwoo and he had to look fucking amazing, just to impress him. Because somewhere in his mind, he was sure the latter would look beautiful.

Choosing the outfit for the day was honestly one of the hardest decisions he'd made this month. Rummaging through his over-stocked closet, he couldn't find the right clothes to wear. It had to be something that'd make him look more appealing, to blow Wonwoo away; not that it was necessary, Mingyu pegged himself being overly handsome in _any_ clothes but the itchy feeling, scratching in the back of his mind made him react like some high school girl. As weird as it sounded, he was really anxious about his appearance- he just wanted to leave a good impression.  
After a good fifteen minutes, a pile of selected articles of clothes chosen with utmost care, laid out on the bed, ready to stick on Mingyu's body. Plain white shirt, ripped skinny jeans (hugging his thighs very nicely, mind you) and a pair of heavy combat boots. As a cherry on top, a designer's leather jacket if the weather decided to be a prick. Mingyu hummed, satisfied at the choice. He was confident in the judgment he had when it came to fashion.

Twenty minutes before the friendly date and Mingyu was nervously standing outside the apartment complex, waiting for the driver. He'd asked a friend to take him to the coffee shop, since it was on the other side of the city and driving there in his own car was out of question. He'd blow up his cover.  
A loud rumble of an engine resonated through the neighborhood as a yellow sports car stopped right in front of him, door open already. Mingyu rolled his eyes at the smirk directed at him and got in.

'You look nice,' Jun commented, grinning. 'Out for a date?' He asked, arching a brow as Mingyu shook his head.

'It's a friend thing,' he replied, turning his head to look at the scenery outside. Jun was a fast driver so everything had been a blur, buildings merging together with the trees, making him a bit dizzy.

'Must be some special friend then,' Jun mused, 'for you to dress up like a model.' He snickered as Mingyu tried to fight the blush.

'Shut up, Wen.'

***** 

After thanking his friend for the ride, Mingyu took one last look at his reflection in the shop's transparent window, checking if everything was alright. With a final touch of his hair, messily pushed back for a good effect, he nodded as a silent form of approval that yes- he looked fine as hell, ready for whatever the day had prepared for him.  
It didn't prepare him for one thing though. A certain black-haired guy, seated at the very corner of the shop, now waving cutely at him because Mingyu was always easy to spot; one would've to be blind to not notice a literal giant, towering over all the people in the room. Wonwoo's eyes were sharp like a razor. Wonwoo also looked like the softest plushie that ever existed, Mingyu had thought the instant as he walked over to the booth, taking a seat opposite him. The baby pink of his oversized sweater looked heavenly on him and God, how tight those jeans were, honestly?  
Mingyu wanted to cry. Just when he thought the guy couldn't get any cuter- and now _this_.

Shit.

Wonwoo raised a brow, resting his chin on his palms. 'I hope that Lambo you arrived in wasn't yours,' he got as a greeting.

'Wow, hello to you, too,' the younger then replied, offended. 'And no, it was my friend's,' he shrugged. He got a silent nod from the raven. 'You look good, by the way.' It was meant to sound nonchalant but it must've come out flirtatious, judging by how Wonwoo's face heat up in embarrassment.

'Um, thanks,' he mumbled, fingers playing under the long sleeves, 'you look better though. I like your jacket.' The compliment worked wonders to Mingyu's ears.

'We've got some time before the kids show up, you wanna order something? My treat,' the brunet offered, taking a look at the menu list. The pastries all looked delicious but the prices, Jesus-

'I'll take a cappuccino and butter croissant,' Wonwoo's finger pointed at the printed picture of the food. His choice was a cheaper one and Mingyu wondered if he chose the option for the sake of his wallet. If that was the case, then fucking wow, how considerate of him.

'Same for me,' nodding, he called the waitress over. 'I'll try some of their blueberry muffins, though,' he grinned, 'see if they're as delicious as yours,' Mingyu winked, sheepish. Wonwoo shook his head in disbelief; there was no way his baking would win over a professional's. But the younger was determined to find out either way.

As it had turned out, they weren't as delicious as Wonwoo's but Mingyu could've been lying in hope to please his ego; the giant had literally stuffed his mouth with the sweets, getting the filling all over the corners of his mouth, painting them blue. He was still as loud as he remembered, unable to control the embarrassing sounds as he munched on the muffins, one after another. Some people actually glared at their booth, disgust evident on their faces. Why did he have to be such a noisy eater?

Wonwoo couldn't bear the view at the man sitting across him, mouth bathed in berries. Frowning, he reached for the napkins on the plate and brought it to Mingyu's lips, wiping off the cream in slow movements. It was a reflex, something he'd done on a daily basis (you'd understand if you had Soonyoung or Jeongguk invited over) so it didn't actually seem weird to him. As he accidentally made eye contact with Mingyu though, he'd stopped, withdrawing his hand as the realization hit him hard.

'Your habit is showing,' he then huffed, averting his eyes so the other couldn't see the embarrassment, 'chew properly, please.' He wasn't really pleading but the younger decided to obey, though the caring way he was treated melted his heart a little.

Realizing his mistake, Mingyu quickly gulped the sweet down, drinking the warm liquid from his cup. It was good but still paled in comparison to Wonwoo's muffins. He might be slightly biased, though.

'Sorry,' Mingyu apologized, guilty. He licked his lips to properly clean up the mess from the obnoxious eating, accepting Wonwoo's nice gesture with a thanks, only to be waved off by his hand, hidden under the sweater paw. A waitress showed up at their booth, asking if there was anything else they'd like to order and being the forever hungry beast, Mingyu nodded, ordering himself a good portion of cupcakes and more croissants for his soon-to-be-friend (ignoring the weak protest from him), despite the horrendous amount of price he was most likely to die from paying. Screw that, honestly. Might as well go all out. Price didn't matter when it came to food.

'Wow, the prospect didn't lie, their pastries are really good,' the brunet admitted reluctantly. Licking the cappuccino mustache off his upper lip, Mingyu got comfortable in his seat, patting his stomach lazily. He almost stretched his long limbs under the table but risking a collision with Wonwoo's own legs would feel really awkward. The lack of conversation was bad enough. And to think that Mingyu was so determined to befriend Jeongguk's brother in a record time- well, things don't go smoothly every time. The heavy silence between the two was only interrupted by the occasional noises from other customers, most of them being ladies in their middle age and wow, Mingyu had never wanted to be deaf so bad.

A deep voice from the person sitting across him caught his attention.

'Um, we have exactly half an hour to get to know each other, so,' Wonwoo looked up to be eye level with Mingyu, fidgeting a little, 'go ahead and ask. I know you're curious about my life though it's seriously nothing special,' he shrugged, munching quietly on the croissant. You could see the taller boy's eyes sparkling at the suggestion, the warm color of his irises glowing. Mingyu's invisible puppy ears perked up and he offered the latter the biggest of his smiles. It was finally happening- the path to the friend-zone had been unlocked by Wonwoo himself and he intended to make the best of it.

'Oh God, yes, finally.' Putting a hand on his chest, the brunet sighed, relieved. 'I really wanted to make friends with you but we didn't have much opportunity the other day- I'm not letting the chance to slip away now,' he grinned, cracking his neck as if preparing for a battle. 'I'm gonna shower you with questions 'til you tire out.'

Wonwoo choked out a laugh through the croissant, amused.

'Fighting,' he cheered him on, giving him a thumbs up, mocking. Mingyu brushed it off, too busy classifying all kinds of questions piling up in his head. A memory of the black SUV packed with all those foreign books and papers had then popped up and the brunet was ready to interrogate.

'What's your major?'

***** 

After Wonwoo answered the first questions, eyes gazing over his now half-empty cup the whole time, a warm feeling had enveloped Mingyu like an invisible cloak, satisfied with the outcome he'd gotten from it.  
The things he'd learned as he listened to Wonwoo's velvety voice talk about himself, his life; were slowly pushing their status from acquaintances to friends. In the span of mere thirty minutes, he'd already known the older's major (early education, holy shit- that's why so many books), favorite color (he said it's rainbow but he was leaning more to black), hobbies (which was reading, unsurprisingly, but also gaming and ignoring his best friend's annoying-self: _'does that count as a hobby?'_ ) and so, so much more. Every question Mingyu threw at him was answered patiently and truthfully. The only mistake he made was when he asked Wonwoo about his boyfriend, as curiosity had overtaken him. Wonwoo then visibly stiffened, fingers playing with the sleeves of his sweater. His lips were about to move to say something but Mingyu interrupted him, aware of his fuck up and turned the topic elsewhere. Maybe it was too much of a personal ask.  
Despite the fear of appearing annoying, Wonwoo smiled at him, reassuring, not shutting down on him. Mingyu was this close to apologizing but seeing the other say that they'd talk about it some other time was a clear indication that he'd warmed up enough to him to promise him a next time. Feeling it deep in his gut, Mingyu might as well boldly say that at this point, he could consider Wonwoo a friend and vice versa.

Exhausted from the seemingly infinite flow of questions at his person, Wonwoo bit down on his untouched croissant (a third one- was Mingyu trying to fatten him up or what?), brows arched. The taller was biting at his bottom lip, looking at him in the _eyes_ , deep in thought and okay- Wonwoo might be able to handle one more question or two, eventually. He could read from his expression he still wasn't quite done yet, holding the words in the back of his mouth. So he tilted his head, hair bouncing as he did so, giving Mingyu a pointed stare, waiting for the words to come out.

'Aren't you hot?' The younger then asked, genuine curiosity overtaking his face as he gestured to the fluffy sweater. 'I mean, it looks warm enough for you to melt in this crazy weather,' he sounded worried, trying his best not to touch the fabric of the cloth.

Ah, yes. That. Wonwoo shook his head, bringing out both covered in sleeves hands to rest on the table, right in front of Mingyu's eyes. 'Not really,' he said, waving with his paws cutely, 'it may seem warm but the material is actually really thin.' The taller looked at him, not yet convicted but feeling comfortable enough, Wonwoo let him feel it for himself. If there wasn't light peeking through the glassed window, the older might've thought he saw red painting Mingyu's cheeks as he slowly rubbed the pink fabric between his fingers, humming at the thinness.

'Wow, okay, that's a hella fine sweater,' Mingyu couldn't help but say, tugging at the sleeve, careful of avoiding Wonwoo's hand tucked inside. 'I want one, too. Where did you get it?' He asked, withdrawing his hand because he might wrinkle the soft thing if he kept touching it. Before he could get his answer, the door to the café had opened, revealing two figures of someone familiar. Judging by how Wonwoo's eyes widened at the realization, Mingyu was quick to turn his head, peeking from the booth to sneak a look at the newcomers.  
Dressed in comfortable clothes, he saw Jeongguk taking a seat across from his dear cousin Yeri, giving out shy smiles at her. It was inconvenient to always turn his head at such angle so as quietly as he could, he left his spot to squish himself next to Wonwoo's lithe body.

'Move a little, I can't see,' Wonwoo then whispered near Mingyu's ear, nudging his left side with his hips. The closeness of their current position reminded the brunet to not lose his cool and observe the kids as unnoticeable as possible. It had proven to be a hard task as Wonwoo was squirming, trying to find a comfortable position allowing him to spy on his brother without snapping his back. He ended up with his upper body leaning over Mingyu's lap, hands grasping at the table for support. Falling down on the latter's thighs would be the most embarrassing thing to ever happen.

'Oh my God, she's wearing the flowery dress I bought her,' Mingyu whispered, eyes glued to the booth on the other side of the café. 'My girl looks so pretty,' he choked back a tear, lips quivering. He was so proud because Yeri had actually listened to his banter about what she should wear for the meeting.

'Stop acting like her dad and bow down, Christ. We're done for if they see us.' A nudge of Wonwoo's sharp as hell elbow to his ribs made him look down. Mingyu frowned but didn't want to make things harder for the both of them so he slid down, as much as his long limbs allowed him to, ignoring the hiss below him. Wonwoo didn't look too pleased with their current position but there was nothing he could do, a pair of tall dudes squished together in a tiny ass booth, trying to spy on their relatives in silence. Except that they were far from silent.  
Minutes had passed and Mingyu could feel his stomach grumble. Laying literally on his lap, Wonwoo's ears heard the sound coming from the brunet's insides.

'Are you kidding me?' He hissed, looking up at Mingyu who shrugged, apologetic. He wasn't really because then he wouldn't reach out to the table and take one of the strawberry cupcakes from the plate. Wonwoo rolled his eyes, trying to block out the sounds caused by the younger's loud fucking eating.  
Mingyu simply ignored all the silent forms of protest coming from his lap, he tilted his head to the side instead, munching slowly at the sweet while observing Yeri chatting with Jeongguk. Occupying his brain with decrypting the conversation happening few meters from him, he tried to brush off the light feeling of butterflies filling in his gut, fluttering because damn, Wonwoo gave zero fucks about the compromiting position he got himself into. Having him almost spread out on his lap, the fluff of his hair tickling Mingyu's chin, it was rather hard not to reach out and _pet_ him. As much as the thought alone weirded him out, caressing the black locks and feel the softness on his fingers was a really bad itch he had to suppress but didn't want to.

There was silence, interrupted by the excessive munching on Mingyu's side because his mouth had no chill before he heard Wonwoo gasp a raspy 'shit!', head almost colliding with his chin.

'What?' Mingyu asked, voice low and stuffy, raising a brow at the sudden panic.

Looking up, Wonwoo muttered a quiet 'I think they saw us,' hiding his face behind the menu list.

Oh no.

Cautious, the younger peeked out to see and no no no- it was true; the kids had seen them. Jeongguk was straight looking at their booth, locking his eyes with Mingyu for a brief moment, going stiff in his seat. Glancing over at Yeri, he mouthed something that caused her to frown- fucking frown and then he didn't know what happened next because he was pulled back by Wonwoo's sweater paw. The older was biting his lip nervously.

'You said you were good at hiding,' the raven whimpered, glaring at him, ' and stop eating, it was probably your lousy mouth's fault that they spotted us!' He accused, smacking away the sweet from Mingyu's grasp. What the hell?

'The fuck? If anything it must've been your not so subtle staring that blew up our cover!' Mingyu whispered back, louder this time. Huffing like an angry puppy, he snatched the cupcake and shoved it in his mouth, right in Wonwoo's face.

Withdrawing back to sit beside the younger, Wonwoo was about bit back a reply- no way in hell was that his fault- when a melodic ring of the door opening and closing invaded his ears and he automatically looked over to check if the kids were still talking between themselves, only to realize with horror that the booth was empty. Jeongguk, the sly brat could be really adaptive to sudden situations and quick on his feet if he wanted to. Nothing surprising there. He should've expected that.

'Crap! They left!' Wonwoo turned his head to face Mingyu who had cheeks puffed out due to the sweets inside his mouth, offering him a raised brow before he eventually caught up with the situation. Panicked, he chewed at his food as fast as he could, leaving his spot.

'Shit! Get your ass outta here, we need to follow them!' Waving his hand at the waitress, Mingyu hushed the older, reaching for his wallet to pull out a credit card. Wonwoo didn't have to be told twice, he was quick to react, feet anxiously tapping at the wooden floor, waiting for Mingyu to finish paying.

A few minutes later and both Mingyu and Wonwoo were out, frantically looking around to track the kids. Without much success as the street was stuffed with people passing by, leaving them with nothing much to find. They had decided to take a straight detour through the park, hoping that it'd be the path Jeongguk would take. Wonwoo was confident in knowing his brother's habits when it came to traveling. Places with green and water were one of his favorites. The park had both.

How did they end up in an amusement park though, was beyond him. Maybe it was Mingyu's bad sense of direction or his whiny ass; complaining about his full stomach so instead of running to shorten the possible distance between them and the young fiancés, they had to walk around the park so he didn't get sick and throw up. After walking for quite a bit, no sight of Jeongguk or Yeri, Wonwoo had to admit that they failed horribly as spies (or ninjas- whatever Mingyu decided to call them). He should've expected this; as perceptive as his brother was, finding out their hiding spot was a child's play for him.  
Sighing, he bent down, hands resting on his knees.

'I think trailing them is pointless at this point. We should head back home.' Mingyu huffed out, beads of sweat running down his temples. He was breathing hard, limbs tired from the running and stomach upset. Giving up on the chase was the best choice, he had to push back the need to protect and believe in Jeongguk's actions.

'Yeah.' Wonwoo sounded out of breath even though his stamina seemed to be rapidly higher than his own because all he had were two croissants and a half and a cappuccino unlike the unholy amount of muffins and cupcakes he'd consumed. Well, Mingyu brought it upon himself. He shouldn't eat that much.

'I should call Jun,' the brunet muttered under his breath, pulling out his phone. Waiting for his friend to pick up, he looked up, frowning at the sight above. The sun had managed to hide behind a bunch of clouds, darkening the sky in a sad grey color. This wasn't a good sign.  
'Come on, pick up.' Mingyu was fidgeting, occasionally glancing at Wonwoo, who was now leaning on a bench, looking at the attractions.  
It took a few beeps from the other line suggesting that the person wasn't available, causing Mingyu to hang up, angry. Well, today was a shitty day, indeed. The only good thing from all this was him befriending Jeongguk's brother.

'What's the matter?' Wonwoo asked, concerned.

'Uh, my friend isn't picking up his phone- he's the one with the Lambo and my getaway driver but now that's busted,' he sighed, running a hand through his hair, 'I gotta take a bus home.'

He was given a sympathetic look from the other. 'We should look for the bus station then.'

Mingyu nodded and was about to follow his hyung when a tug to his sleeve stopped him. A young girl, about eight or so, was smiling at him, hands full of- oh, flower crowns.

'Hello?' He greeted but it came out more of a question. The girl smiled in return, her hair bouncing as she hopped up and down, still holding onto his sleeve. She was cute.

'Mister, your boyfriend is really pretty,' she suddenly blurted out, tiny finger pointing at Wonwoo who turned beet red in the face. Not giving him a chance to respond, she continued, 'but he'd look prettier with a crown,' she fiddled with the basket, rummaging through a neatly folded flower crowns of different colors to take one out. Pink and white, matching perfectly with the older's outfit. Mingyu raised a brow. Was she trying to talk him into buying that thing? Because it worked, whatever her magic was. Who was he to say no to such an adorable little girl, really.  
Mingyu looked at Wonwoo, poor guy was cupping his reddened cheeks with sweater paws, and then, without much thought, took out his wallet from the pocket of his jacket, handing her a bill with a smile. The girl gave him one of her own, big and toothy, putting the flower crown in his hand.

'Thank you so much, mister!' She chided, hopping away happily, skirt dancing in waves. Mingyu grinned, warm inside and turned on his heel to walk up to Wonwoo. The blush seemed to fade away but it had returned back in full force when a pair of big hands put the flower crown on his head. Oh God.

'Mhm,' he saw Mingyu nod, satisfied at the sight, 'she was right, you look way prettier like this.'

To be honest, Wonwoo didn't know how to react to that; his brain was still in the middle of processing the compliment. It was those stupid simple words that got him all flustered to even reply, his body doing the work for his lips instead. Was Mingyu aware of all the things leaving his mouth? Probably yes. He still might be oblivious of his little praise kink though and he prayed to God he'd never find out.

'Say cheese!'

Wonwoo looked up in time to be surprised by the blinding light of the camera on Mingyu's phone. Did he just-  
A wolfish grin mapped the younger's lips and yes- he did take a photo of him wearing a flower crown.

'You little-' Wonwoo, despite the deep blush that didn't want to die on its own because someone couldn't keep their mouth in check, leaped towards the taller boy, fingers ready to snatch the phone and delete that photo taken without his fucking consent. Too bad he was nowhere near to achieve that as Mingyu felt like playing with him, hands in the air, too high for Wonwoo's reach. Despite the futile attempt, he still tried to take the device from his possession, even as to stand on his toes to raise the chance of success, fingers tugging at the leather of Mingyu's jacket.

'Sorry hyung, I'm not gonna go down so easily,' a tongue poked at him, mocking. It was frustrating, being shorter than someone who was younger and still _growing_. So unfair.  
Sighing, Wonwoo admitted his defeat with a pout, arms crossed on his chest.

'Dickhead.'

'Aw, come on, it's just one photo of a pretty thing,' Mingyu defended himself, 'if you're salty over something that trivial then gimme your phone,' he wiggled his fingers (such an anime pervert thing to do, honestly), waiting for Wonwoo to take out the phone from the back pocket of his jeans. Christ, why did the kid have to be so demanding? And why did he even comply?  
Mingyu hummed something under his breath, fingers ghosting over the screen before he scooted closer to the older, invading his personal space and Wonwoo got the hint as he watched Mingyu put one of his arms around his shoulder, stretching his face muscles to make the best expression. Angling the camera into the right position so they could both fit into the frame, the younger settled for a toothy smile showing off his canines, sneaky arm forcing Wonwoo closer to his side and took a selfie. Even without looking at the result, it was evident the tall brat would look amazing, the darkened sky in the background only ruining the perfect shot.  
Flustered from the close proximity they shared, Wonwoo looked up, brows knitted together.

'Why did you do that?' He asked, taking his phone back from Mingyu, who just finished editing the picture- applying some sort of filter to make them look more softer or something.

'Well, it's only fair I'd take a pic of myself, too so you wouldn't feel salty,' he was given a shrug. This kid, really. Being friends with such a person was getting exhausting. It was like being with Soonyoung all over again. One was enough but two? Lord have mercy on his soul.  
Though to be honest, taking a selfie with Mingyu was convenient for him because now he could sate his best friend's curiosity so he could see for himself if Mingyu lived up to his standard of hot.

Still acting upset, Wonwoo put the phone back in place after checking the time (it was now close to 5 pm), turning on his heels, back facing the other.  
'Now that our selfies are solved, we should get you a ride home,' he suggested, glancing above to check on the sky, 'before the weather decides to dick us over-'

Mingyu thought for a moment that Wonwoo was a clairvoyant because as soon as those fateful words got past his lips, a drop fell down from above, wetting one dry spot on his jacket, soon to be joined by a bunch of others and okay, it had started to rain.

'We gotta go, now!' Wonwoo hushed him, turning quick on his heels, one of his sweater paws getting a hold of Mingyu's wrist, forcing his legs to fucking move so they could get away from the sudden downpour sent on them.

The rain had intensified and by the time they'd reached the nearest bus station, their clothes were soaking wet.  
They found shelter under one of the bus stops; Mingyu checked the screen with the departure times only to sigh in disappointment when he found his line. Wonwoo was standing silently beside him, not yet realizing he's been clutching at the younger's wrist the whole time, shivering as the cold had clung to his body like a glue. His sweater absorbed the rain like a sponge and if he didn't take a warm shower soon, he'd get sick.

'Found your stop yet?' He asked, peeking over the brunet's shoulder to look at the departure screen. A ting of relief washed over him when he spotted one of the bus lines headed his way was arriving in a few minutes. The feeling didn't last long as Mingyu looked at him, face significantly dropping as he nodded.

'It should arrive in two hours,' he whispered, puppy eyes sad and it was an unbearable sight, Wonwoo had concluded. Leaving the kid here alone in the rain for two hours would be a dick move from his side, and when he saw his bus already reaching the platform, he squeezed his hand around the tanned wrist, pulling Mingyu with him.

'What are you doing? That's not my line.' There was an expected confusion from the taller's side and when the automatic door opened, Wonwoo pushed him inside, whispering.

'I know. We're going to my apartment.'

Mingyu's brows shot up at the words. Did he hear him right?

'I live close by. It's rather sudden but I can't let you catch a cold, not on my watch,' he simply stated, paying for their tickets and taking the only available spot for them to stand on. The bus was crowded, as expected; people were heading home from work, some students were occupying the back seats, chatting about things.

'Are you okay with this?' Mingyu asked, searching for any sign of doubt in Wonwoo's eyes. There was none, to his surprise.

'Yes,' was the simple reply and he didn't push it further.

They didn't talk after that, proceeding the ride in silence- Wonwoo's hand had returned back to rest loosely against his hips, shivering from the cold. Mingyu noticed, as he was standing close beside him, that the sweater was clinging to his body, having absorbed the wetness from the rain. He had a clear view of the outline of his torso covered by the damp fabric, too thin for a healthy young man. Wonwoo was naturally skinny, it wasn't his fault he was like this but it made Mingyu's level of protectiveness to increase and pull him into a hug just to provide a tiny bit of warmth. He almost did it but stopped himself in time. Taking off his jacket, he gently wrapped it around Wonwoo's trembling shoulders. The sheer surprise on the latter's face at the action melted his insides into a warm pool of goo.

'Thanks.'

Even though the word was barely audible, Mingyu couldn't help and grinned, ruffling the older's hair lightly so he didn't get the raindrops on other passengers standing around. The image of Wonwoo blushing burned into the back of his head.

*****

The neighborhood Wonwoo had lived in was fairly quiet, there was a park nearby with a playground for kids- now empty because of the afternoon shower. It was the exact opposite of Mingyu's place. He was used to the noises from the outside of his apartment but this change of environment was nice, too.

Wonwoo led him into a pretty old apartment complex, judging by the structure of the buildings, greeting an old lady on the way, cooing at the tiny dog hopping beside her.

They entered the elevator in the hall, exiting on the fifth floor. Wonwoo was playing with the keys in his hand, suddenly wary of the presence behind him. Mingyu had been quiet the whole time, taking in the surroundings around him, looking like a curious puppy. That thought almost made him sneer.

Stopping in his tracks, Wonwoo held up one of his sweater paws, interrupting whatever Mingyu was doing. 'Wait here. I need to pick my baby up.' Before he could explain further, he knocked on the door of the neighbor lady, Mrs. Kang.

'Ah, Wonwoo!' She greeted him with a smile, faltering slightly as she noticed the soaked clothes and damp hair. 'My gosh, you look horrible. What happened?' She sounded worried, hands clasped together at the state of her neighbor. Wonwoo gave her a reassuring smile, saying it's nothing but the rain and she nodded, eyes grazing briefly over Mingyu's slouched form standing awkwardly behind him. He bowed to her out of politeness.

'I hope I'm not disturbing you but I came to pick Ra up.' Mrs. Kang turned her eyes back to Wonwoo, smiling as she waved him off, disappearing for a moment inside before showing up again with a big travel box in her arms.

'Did he behave?' He asked, poking a finger inside the box, wiggling it a little. A purr was coming from the inside and Mingyu, ever so curious, peeked over the older's shoulder to take a look at the thing. Everything he could see was a pair of gold orbs glistening in the dark. It scared him. Just a tiny bit.

'Of course he did!' Mrs. Kang giggled. 'He's a good boy.' Wonwoo nodded, thanking the woman for taking care of his pet before turning on his heel, motioning to Mingyu to get going.

'By the way, Wonwoo,' she called at him one more time from the door, 'is this handsome lad your boyfriend?' The choking sound Mingyu made as the woman pointed at him, face serious, caused Wonwoo's entire face turn red. Embarrassed, he shook his head.

'Ah, no, he's a friend.'

_A friend._

The warmth just from hearing the word made Mingyu all giddy inside, despite the coldness spreading like a plague over his body. Grinning out of happiness, he followed the older to his apartment across Mrs. Kang's and invited himself in.  
  
The inside of Wonwoo's apartment looked exactly like he imagined it to be. Soft and simple, like his personality. There wasn't much furniture in the spacious living room as the majority taking the space were shelves filled with all sorts of books and magazines. It wasn't hard to guess what was Wonwoo's priority in life.  
Looking at his right, he noticed a tiny, pastel blue kitchen and Mingyu had concluded it was more than enough for one person. Overall, it was a really nice place to live in. He could easily get comfortable in here.

'Nice flat. I like it here, it's cozy,' he hummed approvingly, taking a closer look at the books on the shelf above the TV. Wonwoo mumbled something under his breath, cheeks flushed but it might've been because of the temperature in the room.

'Wait here. I'm gonna find you some warm clothes.'

'Okay.'

A big fluff of fur then brushed against his ankle and looking down, Mingyu swallowed a yelp in the back of his throat. The cat, if you could call that thing that, was big, his back almost reaching up to his calves. Guessing by the pattern, it was a Bengali cat but to think they could grow that large- unbelievable. Still, the pet seemed to like him as he walked in circles around his legs, nuzzling and purring. What was his name again? He tried to recall.

'Wow, Ra is always hostile towards strangers but look at him being all submissive and pliant now,' Wonwoo's voice sounded amused as he came closer to pat the cat's head. 'He must've noticed your dominant aura,' he reasoned, making Mingyu oddly proud inside.

'Is he really that territorial?' He asked out of curiosity. The pet strangely reminded him of Jeongguk with his similar behavior and Mingyu had to suppress a laugh.

'Mhm. He's pretty much my guardian pet,' a giggle got past the raven's lips as he straightened his back, handing the clothes to Mingyu who accepted them with a thanks. Grey sweatpants and an oversized shirt. It wasn't something he would go to sleep in (he was rather fond of not feeling restricted by clothes while sleeping) but since he was shivering from the cold, warm clothes sounded like the best choice.  
'These should fit you,' Wonwoo pointed at the sweatpants, 'now go take a shower, I'll make us a hot drink to keep us warm. Bathroom is that way,' he motioned to the door in the very back of the hall. There were two more rooms, one of them had to be a bedroom. Mingyu wasn't sure about the other one.

'Thanks.' He smiled, almost lovingly before stepping inside the room, closing the door behind him.

***** 

'I made sure the shirt I gave you was two sizes bigger than my regular size for better comfort,' was the first thing Mingyu heard as he entered the living room, face flushed from the heat, body refreshed. 'Guess I miscalculated.'

Mingyu laughed at that.

'What can I say? I'm a beefy man.' Flexing his arms to show off his muscles, he winked. Wonwoo rolled his eyes, grabbing his clothes from the couch and headed for the bathroom. Finally, it was his turn to take a shower, it had to be a hot one because the shivering wouldn't stop even though his damp clothes were slowly drying off.

For the next ten minutes, Mingyu preoccupied himself with trying to make friends with yet another person- correction, _animal_ , though the cat has been rather compliant, nuzzling into his hand and purring. Judging by his attitude towards the human, there was no need to try hard to earn his trust. They could become best buds right on the spot. At least it didn't take long like with _someone_.  
Mingyu got comfortable on the fluffy carpet, reaching out for one of the mugs Wonwoo had put on the coffee table before taking off, inhaling the sweet scent of the tea. Was Wonwoo a geisha in another life because damn, he could make some delicious tea. While Mingyu himself wasn't much of a tea person, he could enjoy some when prepared well.

'So good,' he sighed, leaning against the front of the couch, closing his eyes for a moment to fully absorb the warmth spreading through his body.

'Well, thank you for your kind words,' an amused voice called somewhere behind him. Mingyu turned his head to look at Wonwoo who just returned back, a towel wrapped around his head and hairdryer in his hand. The taller almost giggled at the sight but then he noticed the pattern of his pajama bottom and nearly choked on his spit. Wonwoo, alarmed by the sound of his visitor choking, scooted closer to crouch down beside him, worry plastered on his face.  
'Hey, are you okay?' Slowly, he brought his hand to pat the younger on the back, receiving a silent nod as a reply.

'Sorry, it's just,' Mingyu breathed in, trying to contain his laughter, 'that your pajama distracted m-me.' He just then burst out laughing, making Wonwoo stop with massaging his back, confused.

'So it's my pajama's fault you nearly choked to death?' Standing up, he asked with a raised brow, 'I was worried over _nothing_?'

'No no! It was my fault, mine! I'm sorry!' Mingyu quickly apologized, biting his lip to stop the damn giggling and tugged at the older's bottoms, making the cloth to slide down his hips. Wonwoo tried to maintain a straight face but it was so damn hard when the kid was slowly undressing him in not so subtle way. He pulled at the waistband to shake off his annoying grasp, not forgetting to aim his best death glare at him.  
'Sorry,' Mingyu, realizing his wrongdoing, held up his hands in surrender. Okay, he went a bit overboard, it wasn't his intention to act like a five years old but his childish-self had no dignity and came out as it pleased.

Trying to recollect his cool, Wonwoo rubbed at his temples, sighing. 'Okay. Just- don't do it again and try to drink slowly, Jesus.' The brunet nodded, relieved that he was forgiven. 'Now stay still, I'm gonna dry your hair, you're soaking my carpet,' Wonwoo frowned, taking a seat on the couch behind Mingyu, legs on either side of his head. The position felt oddly domestic.  
The younger leaned back, arms resting loosely over Wonwoo's thighs, content of the brazing heat licking at his nape. Fingers were skilfully raking through his hair, gently massaging his scalp while the hairdryer was doing the job, sucking in every drop.  
Mingyu almost fell asleep, the constant circle movements of Wonwoo's fingers while drying his hair worked as a lullaby, making his eyelids heavy with sleep.

'If you keep this up, I might fall asleep,' the brunet hummed out in a raspy voice. He heard a chuckle behind him but the massage didn't stop. Not that he was complaining.

'That's okay.'

'Well then, I hope you're strong enough to carry me into bed.'

'Ah, I'll just leave you here on the floor, no big deal.' There was a clear amusement in the older's voice.

'Meanie,' Mingyu threw his head back and looked up to let Wonwoo see his pout. The older just rolled his eyes, unbothered by the cute act, pushing his head forward, not yet finished drying his stupid hair. 

***** 

'Do you always treat your friends like this?' Mingyu couldn't help but ask as he took a seat on the couch, right beside Wonwoo. They'd decided to watch a few episodes of One Piece since none of them was really ready to bed; even though Mingyu almost zoned out a while ago, another warm cup of tea had kept him awake.

Clicking the buttons on the TV remote, Wonwoo looked at him, brows raised. 'Like what?'

Mingyu contemplated whether he should make up a lie or say it straight off but decided for the latter. 'I don't know, like a mom,' he shrugged, trying to make it sound light but the face he was confronted with, turned his insides upside down. In a good way. A familiar heat had crept up on Wonwoo's cheeks and it certainly wasn't caused by the temperature in the room. That was much obvious. While Mingyu could be dense most of the time, he absolutely couldn't miss the way Wonwoo's face turned into a nice shade of red everytime someone (Mingyu) directed a compliment or just a praise at his person. It was really cute, making him proud because his words just had that effect on him.

'I- I guess?' Wonwoo shrugged, 'I mean, most of my friends are just a bunch of kids anyway, someone has to take care of them. I have two younger brothers, so I'm used to this.'

'I thought you have only Jeongguk?'

Reaching out for his phone, Wonwoo scrolled down to show Mingyu a photo of a young kid, smiling bashfully at the camera. The boy looked strangely similar to Wonwoo.

'That's Bohyuk,' the older explained, 'he's the youngest and is now studying in America.'

That's why there was no sign of a kid like him in the Jeons' house. 'Why so far from home though? He could've stayed here in Seoul,' Mingyu asked a bit confused.

'Dad plans on expanding the company to the western countries, America was one of the best options but he didn't want any guy lead the company so he sent Bohyuk to study there, as he was the most suitable heir. We try to stay in touch but he has so much on his plate,' his face dropped, 'he spends most of the time studying a foreign language in a foreign country alone and I can't be there for him if things get bad. It's frustrating and I miss him so much.' Wonwoo looked so sad now, eyes darting longingly at the picture on his phone. Soon, tears had started to form in the corners of his eyes and when a drop fell down his cheek, Mingyu could've sworn his heart stopped beating for a brief moment. Wonwoo looked so vulnerable now; head hung low, having lost the control of his emotions, sobbing quietly into his hands, shaking. He missed his brother, it was now obvious how much.

Mingyu's arms were ready for a hug.

'I've been told I give the best hugs so feel free to use these big guys,' he smiled, flexing his arms, 'you've got unlimited access, it's on the house,' he winked, arms spread, inviting. Wonwoo looked up and bit his lip, thinking hard. He didn't want to appear clingy- but he did need a hug to be honest, since Soonyoung wasn't here on their friends-bonding day they usually held on Wednesday, he could try again with Mingyu; the guy had given him a bone-crushing hug so far but he really missed Bohyuk and those arms looked so _warm_ -

Nodding, Wonwoo scooted closer, throwing his arms around the younger's neck, hyperaware of the closeness. He felt a pair of strong hands wrap around his back, warmth spreading over his spine as Mingyu drew circles over his shoulder blades, soothing.

'Thanks,' he muttered into his neck, cheeks flushed.

'Anytime.'

They stayed like that for a good two minutes or so before Wonwoo had pulled away, leaving the warmth of Mingyu's arms almost reluctantly. It was nice being held once in a while, the younger was a literal hugging machine, and even though he'd seen him in the most vulnerable state, his arms welcomed him without hesitation. Despite reaching the friend level just a couple hours ago, Wonwoo felt comfortable in the other's presence to the point he'd let Mingyu comfort him. He still was a bit embarrassed about the whole situation but the tears had stopped wetting his cheeks.

'Sorry you had to see me like this,' Wonwoo hiccuped, wiping the last remaining tears off the corners of his eyes with a sleeve. Talking about his youngest brother always brought the emotional side of him on the surface. Mingyu had been really understanding though, wearing a smile as warm as his arms if not warmer; canines peeking out cutely.

'That's okay, it's good to let the emotions out instead of bottling them up,' he shrugged, 'do you feel better now?' Mingyu couldn't hide the satisfied grin when Wonwoo shyly nodded at the question. It just proved how good his hugs were. He could hold himself with pride now.  
'You can always talk to me if you have a rough time, just wanna let you know I'm here for you,' he smiled, gently rubbing Wonwoo's arm. Mingyu was rewarded with a whispered 'thanks' and 'likewise' which widened his smile into a broad one.

'Okay, I'm gonna make some sandwiches and then we can finish watching,' the older then exclaimed, standing up from the couch. He chuckled lightly when Mingyu's head perked up at the word 'sandwich'. It's been a good while since the afternoon sweets overload and his stomach started to remind itself. 

*****

It seemed that Wonwoo's emotions were on a rollercoaster that day because by the end of a certain episode of the anime they've been watching, he was a crying mess. Mingyu didn't want to appear like a jerk so he bit his lip and kept his arms in check. Hugging Wonwoo might be close to the second best thing he liked doing but ssh.

Watching his hyung being so immersed in some anime was a really funny thing, though. Mingyu had noticed, as he paid more attention to the person beside him than the actual TV, that Wonwoo was showing a lot of different expressions while watching a favorite show. His nose would scrunch cutely if there was something funny- it was now Mingyu's favorite expression; or when a bad guy would hurt one of the protagonists, he would mutter swear words under his breath and ball his fists, lips curled up in a pout, saying something along the lines like 'don't you fucking dare hurt my son, you pig'. The worst one though, had come a few episodes later when the bad guy ran a magma-covered fist through the protagonist's chest. Wonwoo's cheeks were glistening with tears he so secretly tried to wipe off; it might've gone unnoticed if Mingyu's eyes didn't follow his every move.

'No matter how many times I watch him die I always end up crying like a bitch,' the older admitted, fanning his face with a hand, 'my son didn't deserve this.' His lips were pursed in a pout. Mingyu found it hard to control the inappropriate giggle at the sight.

He personally was a bit surprised with the outcome of the episode (he might've been distracted by Wonwoo's adorable antics but he did pay attention to the actual story going on TV- from time to time, at least) but his face remained the same when that one particular character died. Now if it were any kind of animal, though- that was another story. But then there was Wonwoo who was on a roll getting emotional and crying his eyes out, even though he'd said it was his _second_ time re-watching the series, the character's death had him in tears still. He even admitted it himself.  
Mingyu almost hugged him again. Almost. It was really tempting but he could control himself that much. Seeing Wonwoo make expressions beyond his imagination and witnessing the sheer beauty in all that was honestly cherry on top that day. Unbelievable how such a boy with a shy demeanor opened up to him and let him comfort him when he was the most vulnerable. Mingyu had thought that the hard work put into befriending Wonwoo had paid off greatly.

'God, I sounded like a girl on her period.'

The joke caught Mingyu off guard and he burst out laughing into his half-eaten sandwich, louder than he expected- the giggly noise even disrupted Ra from his peaceful slumber, stopping the quiet purring.

'It was kinda cute, though,' he laughed, finishing the snack in one go. The glare he received after the remark caused Mingyu to hold onto his stomach because he was having too much fun. Teasing his hyung might've been another one of his favorite things to do.

'Stop saying that.' The frown on Wonwoo's face clearly showed he was upset. Mingyu just waved the negative aura off and scooted closer, nose almost touching his.

'C.U.T.E.,' he repeated again, making sure to put enough weight on every letter.

Wonwoo let out a long, weary sigh. This kid was unbelievable. There was no point in arguing with him, he'd keep on calling him _that_ , so he might as well let him. Maybe if he could get used to the compliments, he wouldn't have to hide the blush behind his hands anymore.

'Now I feel Jihoon's pain,' he mumbled to himself, checking the time on the TV screen.

'What?'

'Nothing,' Wonwoo replied, not minding the curious puppy eyes aimed at him. 'We should go to sleep, it's almost ten,' he gestured to the numbers displayed on the LED. Mingyu nodded, reaching out for the table to grab the mug and finished his tea. It still tasted good, despite how cold the drink has gotten over the time of being neglected for so long.  
'Do you have classes tomorrow?' Wonwoo asked, collecting the emptied mugs and the plates. He couldn't help and snickered at the younger's long face.

'Sadly, yes,' he pouted, 'I don't wanna go though, economy classes are the worst, I tell you.' Wonwoo giggled at the whiny tone of Mingyu's voice.

'Business courses are always dull and boring, I'm surprised you haven't dropped out yet, I guess your parents didn't give you much choice, huh?' He guessed correctly.

'Yeah, I didn't really stand a chance against my stubborn mother but at least she's given Yeri the luxury of choosing the major, so I'm not complaining,' he shrugged.

'You're really a kind person, it's a nice trait not many people possess,' Wonwoo gave him a gentle smile. The butterflies kept on fluttering in Mingyu's stomach and his heart skipped a beat. He could never get tired of the beauty of that smile. Honestly, if Mingyu were gay, he'd be already wooing the guy.

'Not as half as you, though,' he scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed, 'but thanks, I guess.' Hearing kind words from people felt like a warm blanket on his heart, especially if they were coming directly from someone cute.

'I'm not kind all the time,' he watched Wonwoo avert his eyes to the side, tucking a stray hair behind his ear. 'I can be a bitch if I want to,' he puffed out his cheeks. Mingyu's lips twitched at the sight. Wonwoo looked so irresistibly adorable.

'Ooh, scary.' The younger gasped out dramatically, getting a pointed glare in return.

'Shut up.' He was being smacked lightly on the arm.

Mingyu had been so busy with looking at Wonwoo and crying at his cuteness in secret he forgot to text Dahyun that he was sleeping over at a friend's. He was so going to get a scolding tomorrow but honestly, he could care less. 

***** 

The dishes were long washed and wiped clean, so there was only one thing left to do. The best time of the day, in Mingyu's opinion. As it had turned out, the other room was for guests, which wasn't surprising, really, considering how big this place was.

Mingyu had to physically restrain himself from cupping Wonwoo's cheeks and _coo_ at him when he was reminded loudly to not forget to brush his teeth. He even got a spare toothbrush, how thoughtful was that? Wonwoo seriously made it hard for him, the guy was just too cute. Mingyu was low key jealous of his boyfriend. He wished Dahyun was half as caring and attentive as him. Like the puppy he was, Mingyu liked to be pampered and taken care of; shame that for the past few months of the relationship with the girl it's been the other way around.

He'd finished brushing his teeth under Wonwoo's watch before he was being led to the opened door right across the bathroom. As he peeked over the older's shoulder to take a look inside, the first thing that caught his attention was the comfy-looking bed. The lights switched on and Mingyu headed directly forward to rest his giant body on the soft mattress but stopped right after his eyes gazed over the pattern of the covers.

He barked out a laugh. 'Oh my God, are those tiny little ice cream cones?' He ran a hand over the sheet, 'that's so fucking cute!' The laugh had now formed into a fit of giggles and Wonwoo rolled his eyes.

'I had a kid staying over a few days ago,' he explained, though it seemed his words were going through deaf ears, 'I didn't have time to change it, I'll do it now-' He was cut off by Mingyu's adamant shake of his head.

'There's no need to, I love it.'

'Okay, suit yourself, I guess,' Wonwoo shrugged, stepping over to the window and closed the curtains.  
After checking if everything was in order, he let out a satisfied huff before he headed back to the door, smiling as Mingyu hopped in the bed, already tucking himself under the blanket.

'I'm gonna sleep like a princess,' he heard the younger giggle, face hiding under the blanket. He looked oddly adorable. A laugh then got past Wonwoo's lips and after switching the lights off, he whispered.

'Good night, Mingyu.'

Thank God the blanket covered half of Mingyu's face, now red as a tomato because Wonwoo had finally addressed him by his name.


	4. Four.

To avoid the horrible situation from two days ago, Wonwoo had set his alarm on. He forgot to ask Mingyu what time his classes started but it couldn't have been sooner than at eight, for sure.

After feeding Ra his favorite morning snack, he went to the guest room as quietly as he could, the door creaking a sound at being opened so carefully.  
The room was filled with darkness, all Wonwoo could see was a giant bump laying still on the bed. Mingyu had cocooned himself during the night and the sight was honestly hilarious and adorable at the same time. It almost made Wonwoo reluctant to wake the guy.

'I'm sorry,' he whispered- more to himself, chuckling at the slight snoring coming from the bed before he tugged at the curtains, letting the sunlight shine through the glassed window. If Wonwoo thought that would actually have any effect, he was wrong. Because instead of a grunting Kim Mingyu he got nothing. Absolutely nothing. Nada. The giant burrito didn't even move.

What the heck?

Wonwoo raised a brow, surprised by the lack of response. He was hundred percent sure anyone would be awake or at least stirring in their sleep with sun rays shoving in their face. Mingyu might've looked angelic with the soft light creating some sort of halo above the crown of his fluffy hair but there was no time to coo at the fantasied image; Wonwoo didn't expect that waking the giant burrito would be such a hard task. If opening the curtains did nothing, there was one last option. He had to get physical. Now, Wonwoo was confident in his skills of waking people up- he's had enough experience with Soonyoung and his brother but with Mingyu, he wasn't sure if his technique would work. Knowing him for such a short period of time, he could only guess what worked on him.

Sighing, he tip-toed to the bed, knee resting on the mattress, he shifted his weight and bringing his hands up, he gently shook the place what could've been Mingyu's shoulders. It was hard to point it out.

'Mingyu, wake up.' Now changing his voice into its normal tone, Wonwoo tightened his grip and shook harder. It didn't help, Mingyu didn't even stir, the nerve. The Soonyoung vibes he was getting from him were strong.  
'Goddammit,' he cursed under his breath. Raising his other leg up, Wonwoo got on his knees beside the giant burrito and scooted closer, determined. He could get this over with if he tried a little harder. He had to.

Putting all his strength into his arms, he gripped Mingyu's shoulders as best as he could, shaking him like a ragdoll. The action did have a successful outcome, not the one he'd quite expected, though. Mingyu did move from his spot; he even grunted something incoherent that disrupted the snoring but instead of opening his eyes and getting up, a pair of bare arms (the kid had somehow managed to get rid of the shirt Wonwoo was sure he was wearing yesterday, what the fuck-) lunged out and wrapped around Wonwoo's frame, pulling him on top of Mingyu's front.

'Nooo,' a whine left Mingyu's pursed lips, eyes still closed, ''m not waking up without a kiss first,' his mouth formed into a heart shape and Wonwoo stiffened in the tight hold, going beet red in the face. If it wasn't evident enough, Kim Mingyu was a big spoon, considering he was literally squeezing the life out of the older boy, nuzzling into the extra warmth. He still had his lips pursed, waiting for his 'kiss' but Wonwoo was too baffled he couldn't react in time and accidentally let one of Mingyu's hands cup his ass. The soft, appreciating hum beneath him resonated deeply in his ears; the flush seemed to spread down to his neck and feeling thick fingers dig into his skin covered by his pajama, Wonwoo honest to God shrieked, causing Mingyu to open his eyes, alarmed.

'What are you doing, Dahyun-' He blinked, his vision still blurry from the sleep but it had quickly cleared when a pain shot through his left cheek. It stung like a bitch. Why was Dahyun being so feisty in the morning- now having a clear view of what was happening, his eyes widened upon seeing the person laying on top of him, who clearly _wasn't_ his girlfriend but none other than Wonwoo, looking terrified despite the redness on his face. Huh?  
'You're not Dahyun,' Mingyu mumbled, confused but then he finally registered the place his hand shamelessly rested on and he could feel the heat creeping up his neck to his face. Did he really just squeeze Wonwoo's ass? It seemed so because the weight shifted quite hastily off of him, his arms falling into empty air. Wonwoo's unsteady breathing filled the air in the room as he stood up, legs wobbly.

'I-I assume that you, uh- thought I was your girl-girlfriend,' he stuttered, the blush on his cheeks deepening. He'd successfully rolled off of Mingyu who was half-naked, he'd now realized in horror and brushed his suddenly sweaty hands on his pajama bottom.

Mingyu gasped. 'I think I did- oh my fucking God, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-' Apologizing, he sat up, embarrassed. He couldn't see the other boy in the eye.

'I-it's okay,' Wonwoo dismissively waved his hand, back facing Mingyu, 'just- put your clothes on, I'll take you home. You can't miss your classes.' And with that, he left the room.

'Jesus Christ,' Mingyu ran a hand through his hair, ashamed. What a great way to start the day.

  
Entering the living room now fully dressed in the attire from yesterday, Mingyu tried one last time and apologized for his behavior. Wonwoo was putting something into a yellow lunchbox when he shook his head, not yet brave enough to lock eyes with Mingyu. He was still embarrassed about the whole thing and honestly, who wouldn't. Mingyu felt just as same.

'What time do your classes start?' He was asked shortly after. Mingyu looked up and glanced over at the TV playing a morning program for kids. The time in the corner showed it was something around six. Plenty of time for him to get to Uni.

'Eight-thirty,' he answered. Wonwoo made eye contact with him then, nodding. Closing the box, he walked over to him and put the surprisingly heavy thing in Mingyu's hands.

'I'll give you a ride home, just give me a few minutes to get ready.' He didn't leave any space for the taller boy to respond and went straight into his room, closing the door behind him.

Mingyu let out a long, strained sigh.

 

'What's this?' He asked just when Wonwoo had entered the living room, dressed in a pearly white sweater probably made of wool, the low cut of the neckline showing off his prominent collarbones and equally as white skinny jeans. He looked like an angel. The rounded glasses framing his eyes just added to the softness of his outfit. Mingyu had a sudden urge to hug him.

Swinging the keys in his fingers, Wonwoo glanced at the box still clutched in Mingyu's hands and shrugged.

'It's a lunch.'

'Yeah, I noticed.'

'Your lunch.'

'Oh.' Mingyu eyed the box, feeling warm inside. Despite the awkward situation he'd brought upon them, he was really touched by Wonwoo's hospitality. 'Thanks.'

A hum was his answer. Mingyu couldn't help and smiled, following the swift gesture of the older's sweater paw. He didn't forget to bid a goodbye to Ra, the cat lifting his head from the tree he was lazing on. He purred softly in return.

  
*****

   
'I'm sorry for slapping you.'

Mingyu turned to Wonwoo, who was looking up through the front window, waiting for the red sign to change color, face scrunched in concentration. Well, that was new.

'You shouldn't. I deserved it.' Absentmindedly, Mingyu brought his hand to his face and rubbed his bruised cheek. The slap still burned. Wonwoo might've looked like a wind would easily knock him over but damn, his strength was no joke.

Wonwoo let out a sigh. 'Just be quiet and accept the apology, Jesus.' His lips were turned in a pout and honestly, it was so adorable Mingyu snorted, quickly turning away to hide from Wonwoo's deadly stare. It didn't last long, fortunately, the green light saved his ass from being whooped.

 

There was no room for even a small talk as the older boy had to stay focused on the road if they didn't want to end up dead. The streets of Seoul had been quite busy despite the early morning time, and Mingyu figured it'd be best to proceed the ride without disturbing the driver. Even though the older was driving so carefully.  
He let the awkward atmosphere lay steady in the air, occasionally blinking the sleep away. Really, he hated mornings. When he gets home he'll make sure his couch won't feel alone anymore. Because he sure as hell planned on catching up on his sleep.  
Not bothering to suppress the tiredness in his body, Mingyu yawned, his jaw stretched in a disturbing angle and let out a noisy sound.  
A soft hum from the speakers filled the silent air; Wonwoo must've turned the radio on while Mingyu's mind trailed off somewhere in the meantime and it just added to his sleepiness. Resting his head on the window, he closed his eyes, the rusty pop song fading away as everything went black.

A shake of his shoulders woke him up. Mingyu stirred, rubbing the sleep off his eyes. They'd reached his apartment complex, he'd noticed. Wonwoo had still his hands on the steering wheel, face relaxed because he didn't have to go through the same embarrassing situation from an hour ago.

Sighing, Mingyu unbuckled the seatbelt, taking the yellow lunchbox from the older boy's hands, not forgetting to thank him properly.

'Well then, thanks for the ride and the food, at least that will keep me alive after the economy classes,' he shuddered just at the thought of his slow as hell professor and the boring way of his speaking. Wonwoo laughed softly at that, nodding.

'Good luck with that, then.'

A smile brighter than the sun found its way on Mingyu's face and Wonwoo had to turn away because that was really cute and he wanted to just disappear under his blanket and never get out.

'Noted and appreciated,' the younger chirped, 'drop a message or just call if you ever wanna hang out,' he proposed then, head peeking through the passenger's window, 'you can invite your friends if you want, too!' His voice got a bit louder and before Wonwoo could even manage a decent reply, Mingyu was already on his way to the apartment complex.

'I will! Bye!' Was all he could shout and got a wave of a long arm in return. 

  
*****

   
'Where were you last night?' There was a fair amount of curiosity lacing Jaehyun's voice when he asked. 'I wanted to have a chill welcoming party since I've moved across from you but you fucking changed your password and I couldn't even check if you were still alive.' Mingyu snickered so loudly then, getting a few frowning faces of his classmates including their professor at his direction. He paid them no mind and settled comfortably in the chair, suppressing the urge to yawn. He's gotten some sleep after Wonwoo had left but it certainly wasn't enough. The slow and boring voice of their teacher didn't help.

Shrugging, he leaned back on his seat. 'Sleepover, man.'

Jaehyun's brow raised. 'Really? At your age?' He couldn't believe it.

'Mhm. It was kinda unexpected but I had fun,' Mingyu nodded, getting that dreamy look on his face. Honestly, it scared Jaehyun. A bit. Mingyu got only like that when he saw a cute animal or was thinking about delicious food but never when it involved a goddamn sleepover. Where was he even sleeping over at?

'Your face is scary. Stop doing that.' Jaehyun had whispered because the professor was dangerously getting closer to their seat, gathering up assignments from the students. How Mingyu managed to get his done was beyond him. Knowing him, he must've finished it on the same day.

'What?' He asked, puppy eyes widened curiously.

Jaehyun rolled his eyes; clearly, his friend was in his own world and he knew from a personal experience that it was pointless to get anything out of him, it would fall on deaf ears.

Not pressing the subject any further, he sighed and mumbled a quiet 'nothing', handing the assignments to Mr. Lee.

  
*****

   
Mingyu spent the majority of lunch break making out with Dahyun. Even though he kept his hands on all appropriate places, occasionally going under the tight shirt she was wearing, the excitement hadn't been there like before when they were fresh in the relationship. What worried him even more, was the state of his mind when he accidentally slipped off and remembered this morning and the way Wonwoo's face burned hot as he crushed him in a tight hug and the warmth of his body pressed against his. He was so cute and pretty, blushing and stuttering out words like a virgin on their first wedding night-  
A sudden nudge to his arm stopped his thoughts from going south. Hansol gestured with a nod of his head to the person making their way to the table he was sitting at. A very angry Jeongguk had appeared in front of him, paying them a surprising visit since the kid had never shown interest in joining his fellow teammates on lunch breaks. They'd exchanged words only in the gym and sometimes in the locker room where they discussed tactics for their upcoming game. He'd somehow managed to get on a rather friendly manner with Hansol, though. Well, to be honest, everyone seemed to be friends with the kid, he was just too loveable.  
Mingyu stopped ruining Dahyun's make-up which was highly appreciated by the girl but didn't bother to keep his hands away from touching her warm skin under the tight shirt. He looked up, brows raised when Jeongguk began to speak, arms crossed over his chest.

'Keep your fucking girlfriend in check.' He almost spat out the words when he glanced at the girl still sitting on his lap. Only then did Mingyu stop with teasing Dahyun's skin, surprised by the sudden accusation.

'What?'

'You heard me- if not for her, Yeri wouldn't have been in so much trouble.'

'What are you talking about? I didn't do anything.' Dahyun batted her lashes innocently.

Jeongguk scoffed, annoyed. 'Oh please, save it for someone who's blind to see through your act, bitch.'

'What the fuck is your problem?' Mingyu raised his voice, about to stand up from the bench, only Hansol's hand keeping him down. He looked as surprised as Mingyu; it was actually the first time he heard such foul words coming from the usually timid ace of their team.

Not intimidated in the slightest, Jeongguk shook his head, voice raising. 'You were too busy shoving your tongue down your girlfriend's throat you haven't even noticed that Yeri had called in sick today,' his face was getting angry red. 'Her friends had told me she's been feeling down since this morning and it's all your chick's fault.' After hearing the words, Mingyu's eyes widened in shock for a brief moment because holy hell, he actually forgot to check on his baby cousin. He must've been indulged in his own thoughts so much he didn't even bother to make sure Yeri was fine. And apparently, she wasn't. Jeongguk's accusation, however, didn't make any sense. Why would Dahyun hurt his cousin? They were friends and roommates.

'How's that Dahyun's fault?' He asked then, frowning when Jeongguk rolled his eyes.

'Go ask that Yeri yourself after practice,' was the bland answer. Jeongguk didn't bother with anything else and left, mumbling something under his breath.  
'I swear to fucking God, you and Wonu have such a bad taste in choosing your partners.'  
Mingyu missed the brunet's deadly glare he shot at Jaehyun's direction as he was walking away; the latter hasn't said a word since the break started, having occupied his mouth with a melon bread instead and probably texting his boyfriend. He was being oddly quiet for someone who loved watching the drama unfold in front of him.

'Was he telling the truth? Did you do something to Yeri?' Mingyu was still a bit confused about Jeongguk's words and looked at Dahyun who just smiled innocently.

'You know I'd never,' shaking her head, she planted a kiss on his cheek. 'Yeri is a friend.'  
Mingyu remained oblivious of the quiet snort from Jaehyun's side. 

  
*****

   
Concentrating on the game after things happened at lunch break had been a hard task. Their team had a practice match against their sister University but Mingyu could barely concentrate to keep their basket off their opponent's reach, resulting in a very close score with just one point difference. They'd won, thanks to Jaehyun's tactics and Jeongguk's skills but it would've been an easy victory if Mingyu hadn't been thinking about his beloved cousin the whole time. What or _who_ could've possibly made her feeling down that she'd skipped classes? He wondered. The first logical answer was Jeongguk but judging how the kid stepped out of his comfort zone to actually come up to their table and raise his voice against him with so many witnesses around kind of indicated the young Jeon was genuinely worried about Yeri. There was also Dahyun, being accused as the reason behind Yeri's shutdown but it all sounded so unreal to Mingyu, really- the girls seemed to get along well. At least that's what Mingyu's eyes had seen. Admittedly, he didn't know what happened behind closed doors of the girls' dormitory but Dahyun bullying Yeri sounded so fantasy-like. It had to be something else. Something-

'Yo, man, watch out!' Someone had shouted and Mingyu blinked to turn just in time to dodge a very fast ball sent by the opposing team's ace. The practice had ended but some of the guys were messing around with the ball and of course Mingyu's bad luck stuck to him like a glue. Thank God for his good reflexes, he'd be sporting a very bloody nose otherwise.

'Sorry!' He heard the guy yell across the court. Mingyu waved him off and made his way to the locker room. He had to wash off the sweat from the practice. Showing up at Yeri's dorm all drenched would gross her out.  
A pat on his shoulder made him stop for a moment and as he turned around, a surprise waited for him in the form of Wonwoo's brother, looking exhausted from being worked down to the bone but his face remaining stoic. Of course.

'I'm gonna check on her, don't worry,' Mingyu held up his hand before Jeongguk could open his mouth.

'Good,' the brunet nodded, 'she's not in her dorm though,' Mingyu's brow raised at that, 'she's staying with Lisa for now- you know, the long-haired girl who's dating Jennie from the literature class,' he explained and yes- Mingyu knew the girl. He might not be that invested with people from the dance class but he'd met Lisa at parties in the past. She was a force to be reckoned with; feisty yet cute- a really deadly combination if you ask him. Under other circumstances, he'd be already all over her.

Mingyu nodded. 'Yeah, I know. Her dorm is in the east wing, right?'

'Yeah,' he saw Jeongguk nod his head, 'make sure you give Yeri the comfort she needs.' It was a command and after voicing the words out, the kid was walking over to Hansol who was cracking up at some joke a guy from the opposite team just made.  
Mingyu had then noticed the shiny ring dangling on Jeongguk's left ear as his steps got a bit bouncy. They might be on a bit neutral side but he was sure as hell the kid didn't have his ear pierced before.

Getting his things ready, Mingyu grabbed a towel and made his way to the showers. Before he took off, he couldn't miss Jaehyun's squirmy form sitting on the bench in the locker room, scrolling down his phone.

'Who are you texting?' Mingyu's curiosity got the best of him and leaning forward, he glanced over his friend's shoulder to sneak a peek. He could only make out the name of the receiving party before Jaehyun noticed the sudden presence breathing at his neck and turned his whole body, his front facing Mingyu.  
'Who's 'Hoshi'? Your boyfriend?' The ask had the blond laughing.

Clicking some stuff on his phone, Jaehyun shook his head no. 'He's my princess' bestie,' he replied, smiling. _Princess?_ 'I was just asking him about his schedule for tonight and it turned out he's free, which makes a perfect opportunity for a surprise visit.' The smile turned into a grin and Mingyu shuddered. There was a slight predatory gleam in the undertone of Jaehyun's voice, it was kind of unsettling.

'Are you guys gonna do the nasty?' Mingyu couldn't help but ask.

'Well, we haven't seen each other for almost a month but we'll see. Either way, I don't plan on coming back home tonight.' The blond winked. Mingyu rolled his eyes. He was feeling a tad bit sorry for the other guy.

'Ew. Too much information. Don't forget to use protection if things get steamy, though.' Jaehyun's honey-coated laugh filled the quiet room.

'Yes, dad.' Laughing, he bid Mingyu a goodbye and left him in the room alone.

  
*****

   
Feeling refreshed after a long shower, Mingyu was ready for the visit. His stomach had been growling ever since he'd finished the practice; his teammates had teased him, saying something about him going to his girlfriend for a 'snack', to which he replied with a middle finger. What food could he possibly eat at Dahyun's? The girl could barely cook to save her life; she was used in consuming expensive meals from restaurants prepared by others. Though Mingyu had noticed that for the last few weeks she'd been trying to manage her weight. It was unnecessary, honestly- Dahyun was always pretty delicate, Mingyu's heart hurt every time he saw her refuse any food he'd tried to feed her. Why did girls have to be so self-conscious of everything was beyond his knowledge. He could tell the same about Yeri. He thought that bringing something to eat would ease her into the conversation they were hopefully going to have. It was also to make sure she fills her body with needed vitamins so it wouldn't collapse. So he grabbed the yellow lunchbox he still hadn't opened and made his way to Lisa's dorm.

He didn't realize he was sweating until he knocked softly on the door. The place was fairly quiet for a bunch of people living here; Mingyu had never lived in a dormitory with others but he thought it'd be more loud and lively in there. Guess he was wrong.

'Yeah?' A girl's voice then interrupted the flow of thoughts running through his head and looking up from the ground, Mingyu cleared his throat, making eye contact with a skinny young girl- she hadn't changed much since the last time he'd seen her.

'Lisa, right?' The girl nodded, popping a lollipop between her lips. She was eyeing Mingyu suspiciously, creating pressure with her intense glare. 'I'm here to talk to Yeri,' he continued, clutching at the lunchbox, 'I've been told she's staying with you?' Lisa nodded but the skeptical look on her face didn't disappear. 'I'm Mingyu, her cousin,' gesturing to himself, he added and then he heard _'it's okay, let him in'_ from somewhere in the room. The voice was Yeri's- but it sounded so strained and small- Mingyu's brows knitted together in a worry and he bit his lip.

'Ah, yeah. I kinda remember you from Jae's parties,' she nodded and stepped aside for Mingyu to walk in.

Immediately, his eyes searched for his cousin but found only a mop of blonde hair, peeking out from the couch. It must've been Lisa's roommate but where was Yeri? He did hear her just a moment ago-

'I guess Jeongguk told you what happened.' Suddenly, the person sitting on the couch straightened up and turned their head in Mingyu's direction.  
He almost dropped the food on the floor, as he watched Yeri- now blonde and _short-haired_ motioning her hand for him to take a seat. Lisa shifted her gaze from her friend to Mingyu and back until she'd excused herself and quietly left the dorm.

Bewildered, Mingyu rushed over to the girl and pulled her into a tight hug, ignoring the weak protest from her.

'Oh my God, Yeri, what the fuck?' He asked, voice going an octave higher as he brushed his fingers between the soft blonde locks. 'You cut your hair and dyed it blonde? Why?!'  
Yeri looked up. Mingyu noticed the slight blush mapping her cheeks but decided not to dwell on it. Loosening his hold, he pulled away and took a seat beside the girl. It took a few long breaths before Yeri opened her mouth.

'I jokingly said that if Jeongguk gets his ear pierced I'll cut my hair and dye it blonde- I didn't think he'd take me on that.'

Mingyu's eyes went wide because when did Yeri make bets with people? That was so unlike her. 'Who are you and what did you do to my baby cousin?' He gasped dramatically, clutching at his chest.

Yeri sighed. 'It just felt really good- breaking the rules just once, you know? Jeongguk has been nice all the time, he's not a jerk as you make him out to be. He paid for all the things and even got us matching shirts. Look!' She grabbed the phone from the coffee table and scrolled down the screen to show him a photo. Mingyu bit his lip in order to suppress a smile because the kids took a selfie with a Mickey and Minnie printed shirts. The fear of Jeongguk neglecting Yeri or worse had flung out the window. His cousin looked really happy, even with Jeongguk by her side. That was a good sign. Wonwoo was right. The kid wouldn't do anything bad.

'That's cute.' He admitted finally. 'Do you like him?' The question seemed to catch Yeri off guard. She lowered her head, averting eyes away from Mingyu's when she replied.

'I do,' she then looked up, blushing. 'Not romantically though, not yet at least,' she blurted out hurriedly as if to cool down the look on Mingyu's face. 'I like him as a friend.' Her words eased the tension in his body a little. Well, Yeri was always kind to people around her so it wasn't really surprising she took a liking to Wonwoo's brother. He must've been nice enough for her to call him a friend and Mingyu was glad for that. They might be forced fiancés because of all the arrangement but it was now clear the kids were comfortable around each other which was a good reason for Mingyu to swallow his pride, push the need to protect aside and get to know Jeongguk better. If the kid allowed him to do so was another story.

'Please be nice to him, for me,' Yeri put a hand on his, giving it a little squeeze.

'It'll take a while but I'll try.' Mingyu smiled reassuringly. There was no guarantee it would work out but he was being optimistic. 'Now, about the thing that made you skip the class-,' He was cut off by Yeri's other hand.

'I'll tell you everything but,' she paused, glancing at the yellow box Mingyu had put on the coffee table. 'What's in this?'

'It was supposed to be my lunch but I figured it'd taste better if I shared half of it with someone.' He winked as he grabbed the box and carefully opened the clasp. He could recognize the sandwiches he'd eaten yesterday while watching the TV with Wonwoo. It was carefully packed, looked as delicious like it's just been served. Amazing.

Observing the thick slices of bread filled with ham and vegetables from a closer proximity, Yeri shifted in her seat, a questioning look on her face. 'Did- did someone made these for you? I know it wasn't Dahyun.' Mingyu nodded, taking one of the sandwiches and handed it to his cousin.

'Wonwoo hyung made them for me,' he shrugged, tearing the plastic wrapping to bite at the food. Still delicious. 'We got caught in the rain while searching for your asses yesterday and he offered a sleepover at his apartment.' Yeri's eyes widened slightly at the surprising statement but nodded in silence, quietly munching at the bread. She had to eat it because Mingyu's gaze never left her face, just to make sure she stuffed her mouth with needed vitamins.

'Did you have fun?' She asked curiously, though no answer was needed because Mingyu's face did all the work instead. Yeri giggled behind her hand, watching her cousin nod, a little too excited. She didn't really know Jeongguk's brother, she was certain about one thing though; Wonwoo had really pretty features, at least from what five-meter distance her eyes could see. Jeongguk had shown her a few pictures of his older brother he had saved on his phone but she was sure there was a slight difference between seeing people in photos and in real life. Yeri decided that Wonwoo looked excessively better in person.

'Okay, but what about you tell me the reason behind you ditching classes?' Mingyu changed the subject, much to Yeri's dismay. To be honest, she was kind of hoping they'd avoid the topic but no can do. 'I'm certain Jeongguk wouldn't come for my ass if it wasn't anything serious.' His brows furrowed.

Fidgeting in her seat, the girl lowered her gaze and shook her head. 'I know you probably won't believe me but this is all Dahyun's fault.' She was whispering now, words coming out in shaky breaths as Mingyu listened to everything.  
'The moment she saw me enter the dorm after Jeongguk had left, she was on the phone with auntie Minah and told her about the thing I did with my hair. You might think it's nothing serious, but auntie was fuming when she found out,' Yeri sniffed back a sob, voice faltering. Mingyu bit his lip. His mother could get very strict about things both he and Yeri could or couldn't do, be it small things like changing their style or the friends they hang out with. Being part of the politician world and being one of the few women surrounded by the majority of men greedy after power sometimes got the worse of her. She'd become really obsessed with controlling Yeri's life lately; marrying her off without letting her choose her spouse was explanatory itself. They both didn't have it easy. It was just that Mingyu had gotten used to it over the time. Perks of having a thick skin if he may add.

'Dahyun gave you away?' He still couldn't believe it. The perfect image of the girls getting along was crumbling like a card house. Their relationship was anything but good. He should've cared more. Christ.

'Yes. I was going to explain the situation to auntie later after I figured the safe way to do so but Dahyun beat me up to it. She seems to find enjoyment in watching me suffer, apparently. I'm sorry.' The tears threatening at the corners of her doe eyes blurred her vision and she tried to wipe them off; Mingyu, however, did that for her instead and then pulled her into a suffocating hug. Yeri patted his back, smiling ever so slightly as if to wash off the worried expression her cousin held. Perhaps telling Mingyu about the other things Dahyun had done to her in their dorm wasn't the best option. At least not now. Mingyu seemed to be happy in their relationship and she didn't want to be the cause of their break up, as much of a bitch Dahyun was towards her. Burdening her cousin with her own problems was the last thing she wanted.

'Don't be sorry, baby,' Mingyu patted her head, ruffling her hair in a playful manner. 'I'll talk to Dahyun and clear things up,' he assured in a soft whisper. Knowing that it'll be a useless attempt either way, Yeri nodded weakly, still, pulling away from the hug.

'There's also one more thing,' Yeri's lip quivered before she continued, 'I asked the principal for permission to move out of the dormitory and he agreed. I'm moving away to the apartment complex in the city.'  
Mingyu's eyes widened, proceeding the information in silence. Yeri wasn't done yet, though. 'It's a five minutes ride by bus so it's not really that far but the flat is spacious and has a clean air.' _Because there's no Dahyun._

'With who exactly?' Slowly, Mingyu asked, surprise evident on his face, still.

'Promise you won't freak out, Gyu.' Yeri shifted, uncomfortable in her seat all of a sudden and the taller boy stiffened because there was no way-  
'I'm moving in with Jeongguk.' Mingyu swore he blacked out for a moment upon hearing the news. 'We'll have separate rooms of course, nothing to worry about, really,' she was quick to add, 'I'll be rooming with Joy unnie.' Her words didn't have a successful effect though, because Mingyu's eyes glistened with something unreadable. The hardened look he presented was a dead giveaway, however. Hurriedly, the blonde girl took Mingyu's hand in hers, thumbs running over the tanned skin in a soothing manner.  
'Please don't be mad, but I really couldn't stay in the same space as Dahyun anymore so when Jeongguk said his friends were looking for a roommate, I agreed. I'm sorry.'

'Mother's gonna flip,' Mingyu could only mutter, eyes unfocused, his brain a mess. He barely noticed the petite hands squeezing his.

'I know,' Yeri nodded, 'that's why Jeongguk is going to tell her the news with me.' The blush was there _again_ and just then Mingyu snapped out of his reverie. This day was honestly full of surprises. Sighing, he rubbed at his temples.

'Are you really sure about that?'

'Yes.'

'She's gonna eat you alive, both of you,' he grunted but grinned as he watched Yeri smile.

'I'm aware.' Finishing the last bit of the sandwich, Yeri brushed a finger over Mingyu's left wrist, a surprised look on her face. 'By the way, Gyu, did you forget to wear your bracelet?' Mingyu glanced down at his bare wrist, realizing just now the couple bracelet Dahyun got for them for their anniversary had been missing the whole day. His eyes widened because now that he thought of it, he must've taken it off yesterday before he went to bed. At Wonwoo's place.

Shit.

  
***** 

'Stay still.'

Wonwoo was currently fighting his cat who didn't find the sight of bath much appealing, judging by the reddening scratches his claws did to his owner's wrists. Wonwoo wanted to cry. It's been almost a month the last time he'd managed to drag Ra into the bathroom and get him all cleaned up but that time he had Jaehyun to hold him still so his flat wouldn't end up covered in soap bubbles. How much of a strength it required to hold the pet down, Wonwoo had just now found out. Apparently, it was a lot. There was ginger fluff of fur flying through air as Ra fought the water in the tub, front paws sliding down the porcelain walls, jaw open as he meowed nonstop. Wonwoo clicked his tongue.

'Stop squirming young man or you'll go to bed without dinner,' he threatened and to his surprise, the effect was immediate; Ra had stiffened, turning his big golden orbs to look at his owner and meowed, almost painfully and just then sank down the tube into the warm water. Who said that cats didn't listen? Wonwoo sighed in relief, pouring some of the specified soap onto his palm, rinsing it.

'Good boy,' Wonwoo praised, washing the ginger fur very carefully, massaging a considerate amount of soap into it. Ra was meowing for the whole minute as if he was being attacked by the bubbles sticking into his round body.  
'Dramatic much, aren't we?' Wonwoo mumbled before sprinkling some of the clear water to wash off the soap. A loud ring then echoed from the washing machine on his left and Wonwoo rolled his eyes at the caller; judging by the song his phone was emitting, it had to be his annoying self-proclaimed 'best friend'.  
With hands full of his cat, he had to lean to the side, picking the call with his chin. It was painful and he was sure something in his back snapped.

'What do you want, I'm busy at the moment,' he groaned as soon as he picked up. The dramatic gasp in the background made Wonwoo roll his eyes.

 _'Damn, not even a hello? What's got you so moody? Got cramps?'_ Soonyoung couldn't help himself with teasing his friend. As usual.

Wonwoo, not having it, sighed. 'I don't have time for your jokes, Soon. Speak up or bye.'

 _'Geez, okay. What are you doing?'_ The voice from the speaker asked and the loud noise startled Ra; his body tensed up and he screeched which caught Wonwoo off guard. His fingers massaging the soap into the fur slipped and fell into the water, accidentally brushing against the cat's tail. Before Ra could jump out of the tub, Wonwoo put an open palm on his back to hold him down, whispering a smothering _'sorry, love'_ when the cat regained his calm. Touching Ra's tail was taboo; before Wonwoo was given the cat, his grandmother had told him that the kitten got really worked up if someone petted its tail. Wonwoo had figured it must've been because of the guy that had sprinted off shortly after they'd arrived at the farm. His forearms were painted bloody red.  
_'He stepped on its tail,'_ a woman in her forties had told them later. Wonwoo had nodded, noting to himself to avoid touching the cat's rear.

 _'What the fuck is happening?'_ Soonyoung's alarmed voice echoed from the other line. _'What was that noise?'_

Having gained the control of the situation, Wonwoo returned back to cleaning his cat. 'I'm bathing Ra,' he simply replied, concentrated on getting the soap off of the ginger fur. There was a flow of _'aah'_ and _'ooh'_ from Soonyoung's side before he continued speaking.

 _'Ah, is that so? I think you should take one as well,'_ he paused, _'it should be a long one.'_ Wonwoo stopped momentarily to take in the suggesting tone his friend's voice possessed.

'Why so concerned about me taking a bath?' He asked back, now curious. Soonyoung coughed into the phone.

 _'Aah, can't I show concern about my bestie's health?'_ He laughed awkwardly. _'I just- I wanted to make sure you're prepared and all that stuff-'_ He trailed off, leaving Wonwoo completely confused.

'Prepared for what, exactly?' He asked, brows knitted together. Wonwoo heard Soonyoung gasp and then a hushed _'oops'_.

 _'It's nothing- uh, I gotta go now, Chan's about to come back from practice and we plan on getting some fun tonight-'_ He blabbered, changing the subject immediately.

It was now Wonwoo's turn to gasp. 'But he's still a baby!' Eyes wide, he yelled and made a horrified face when he heard Soonyoung chuckle in a low voice.

_'Darling, he stopped being a baby the moment I shoved my dick in his ass.'_

'Kwon Soonyoung-' Wonwoo sounded almost threatening despite the redness taking over the paleness of his cheeks.  
He could see his blond friend gulping on the other line and gushing out a hushed _'bye!'_ and _'don't forget to clean yourself thoroughly!'_ was left for Wonwoo to proceed before a rhythmical beeping ended the call.

Turning around, he glanced at Ra who was being forgotten in the tub as his owner was busy listening to his friend and finished cleaning him up. It didn't take long as the cat had begun to doze off; he even kept still as Wonwoo dried his body with a towel.  
As soon as Ra's paws touched the floor though, he sprinted off to his house in the living room, hiding inside. He looked like a kitten again; eyes round and big, his body shaking.

'I had to do it, you know? Don't be mad,' Wonwoo apologized, bringing a handful of snacks to pour in the bowl. 'You did well,' he praised, leaving the cat with the food alone.

*****

The suspicious concern Soonyoung had shown over the phone bugged Wonwoo to the point his mind kept on repeating the blond's words like a broken record. What exactly did he mean by being 'prepared and all that stuff', really? And take a long bath? Things like these usually meant someone (his boyfriend) was staying over but what was with the preparation? Wonwoo almost dropped the pillow he's been arranging. By preparation, surely Soonyoung didn't mean _that_ , right? Why exactly, when his boyfriend still hasn't contacted him-  
But what if Soonyoung knew something he didn't? Wonwoo bit his lip, glancing over to the nightstand. He wasn't really fond of his friend's suggestion but something kept rubbing him the wrong way. How Soonyoung voiced out the words- it was all too suspicious.  
Wonwoo finished cleaning his room, letting out a satisfied grunt. Taking a look at the nightstand, he sighed and walked over to it.

'He couldn't really mean that,' he muttered under his breath as he opened the bottom drawer, taking out a tiny bottle. His eyes lingered a bit longer over the velvet box that was next to it, seemingly untouched. Wonwoo had opened it once it had arrived at his door a week ago, but he couldn't bring himself to actually take it out of the box and wear it. After he'd found out how much that thing cost, he couldn't do it, really. He was going to kill his boyfriend though. If he ever shows up, that is. Well, that might've been soon though, considering if Soonyoung's hints were actually the ones Wonwoo thought they were.  
Absentmindedly, he reached out behind, hand resting on his buttcheek. His hold around the bottle tightened. For the past few weeks as days at Uni got a bit hectic and a boyfriend gone missing, he hadn't been able to have some fun by himself. Guess that was going to change now.  
Wonwoo's face heated up in embarrassment just by thinking about it. Well, it's been a while.

*****

Wonwoo honest to God spent the following hour in the bathroom trying to stuff his fingers up his ass, with no particular effect in the end. The only thing he got from that was a cramp in his fingers and wobbly legs. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find the right angle. Reaching his prostate by himself alone was a God's wish at this point. Maybe he lost all his skills but then he remembered he didn't have any to even begin with. Taeyong's tip of trying on using a dildo for more guaranteed pleasure sounded like a good idea now. But Wonwoo was too embarrassed to even look at the sex shop's online site, how could he possibly buy one of the things offered there? Counting solely on the agility of his own limbs was the only option for him right now which backfired horribly if you ask him.

'God, I hate this.' He mumbled, saddened at the sight of his completely flaccid cock, even though he cried his eyes out moments ago while trying to stretch himself. He felt loosened up just right but what was the point when he couldn't even get hard? Where was his boyfriend when he needed him?  
Giving up, Wonwoo got out of the shower, skin flushed pink from the heat and dried himself up. He was so not going to do that again. Not by himself, at least.

'I'm gonna buy that dildo thing I swear,' he said to himself and nodded, determined. He was about to finish getting his legs into the tiny shorts when a melodic sound rang from the doorway. Wonwoo froze momentarily on the spot, glancing briefly over at the TV to check on the time. It was around seven in the evening and he wasn't expecting any guests. No one, really. Unless-

'No way.'

Heart beating faster than the few steps he took to unlock the front door, Wonwoo pulled at the handle, nearly yanking it off with the force he used. Immediately, the first thing he noticed was the warm brown color of the eyes that glowed in the dim light from the hallway, boring into his.

_No way in hell._

'You know, someone might take advantage of you if you answer the door like _this_.' Wonwoo almost got a heart attack, recognizing the unexpected visitor in a flash. Jaehyun was leaning on the doorframe, broad smile mapping his beautiful face, dimples forming around the corners of his mouth.

'Someone like you, perhaps?' Wonwoo propped a hand on his hip, making the low cut of his oversized shirt to slide down, showing his bare shoulder, flushed from the hot shower he'd just taken.

'Yes.' There wasn't any hesitance in Jaehyun's voice when he replied, his smile not faltering, it had only deepened when Wonwoo took a bold step forward, and his eyes lingered down on autopilot, stopping at the milky skin of those ridiculously smooth, long legs, clad only in those fucking shorts that weren't shorts, really.

'Mission success, then.'

He looked up as Wonwoo spoke, arms wrapping around his neck in an instant and surprised by the act, Jaehyun stumbled backwards when a significantly lighter weight pushed onto him, a kiss wetting his left cheek. He almost dropped the bouquet he was holding.

Although Wonwoo had been still a bit hesitant with an open affection in public, once they'd reached the safe zone of his apartment, all the shyness seemed to vanish into thin air and was replaced with something Jaehyun couldn't quite describe. He didn't mind, though. As long as Wonwoo felt comfortable and content, he was good. Maybe one day he'll be able to express his honest feelings in public, too.

'About time you showed up,' he heard Wonwoo mumble into his ear before his teeth playfully tugged at the earlobe, 'I'm not letting you go until you make it up to me.' And just like that, Jaehyun was being caged in by a pair of legs wrapping around his waist, throwing his balance off for a second. Wonwoo clung to him like a baby koala, pushing his weight onto him and nuzzling into the warmth.

'And I thought I'm the clingy one,' Jaehyun couldn't help but comment, chuckling slightly as he felt his lover pout against his ear.

'You were away for almost a _month_ ,' he whined, 'I'm allowed to be clingy.' Huffing, Wonwoo tilted his head a little to the side to kiss Jaehyun on the lips. However bold his actions might've seemed, the kiss was shy; a habit he couldn't yet get rid of, but Jaehyun wasn't complaining. His princess was always like this. Too embarrassed to initiate anything more intimate. It was cute.

'I take it you missed me?' He grinned, successfully licking at the seam of Wonwoo's lips to ask for permission. He was granted access in an instant, slipping his tongue into the welcoming warmth of his mouth. Jaehyun kicked the door closed and propped Wonwoo by his thighs to lift him up, the bouquet of lilies forgotten on the shoe box as well as the training bag he'd brought with him.

'You know I did.' Wonwoo's answer came out as a muffled mess against Jaehyun's lips. He chuckled lowly and deepened the kiss, holding his pretty lover close, moving slowly over to the spacious couch. As much as giving Wonwoo had seemed to be, Jaehyun didn't want to put pressure on him by taking too much from him. He could, but that just wasn't his style.  
With his arms full of a whiny baby, Jaehyun successfully reached the couch and turned around, plopping his ass immediately down to rest, with Wonwoo straddling his thighs.

'You smell so good.' Nuzzling, Jaehyun whispered against the crook of Wonwoo's neck, inhaling the sweet scent of the fruity soap left on his skin. It invaded his senses and he couldn't help and lick his way along the curve of the protruding Adam's apple further up to his chin.

'I just took a shower so I better be.' Wonwoo tilted his head back, holding tightly on Jaehyun's shoulders to keep himself steady because his legs started to feel a bit wobbly under the soft touches. The press of Jaehyun's body against his was making him light-headed. He'd waited _weeks_ for something that intimate to happen, missing the feeling of another man's touch left him a bit needy and neglected, and when a pair of hands slipped under the hem of his shorts, Wonwoo didn't hold back and moaned loudly, not giving a single damn about his surroundings.

God, it felt so good.

'I think you'll need another one after I'm done with you.' Jaehyun promised, leaving an especially nasty looking mark on Wonwoo's bare shoulder. His boyfriend didn't seem to mind though, just let himself drown in the feel of the sharpness of his teeth marking up his body.

As Jaehyun's hands made their way under the shorts, a surprise awaited for him when all he could find was a bare skin. Wonwoo had literally _nothing_ underneath- exposing his naked ass for Jaehyun.

'I see you didn't bother to put some panties on,' he hummed, kneading the plush meat between his fingers, letting a couple of them circle dangerously around the already wet rim. 'Did you play with yourself?' He asked, placing soft kisses along Wonwoo's earlobe.

'Ah- a little,' his voice fell into a whisper.

'Naughty boy.' Jaehyun felt his lover shudder against him, unconsciously spreading his thighs wider, giving out a silent invitation for his fingers.

'It wasn't enough though,' he heard him mutter and Jaehyun was sure Wonwoo was pouting, blush spread over the apples of his cheeks. It certainly wasn't because of the heat in the room.

'No?'

Wonwoo shook his head, making himself busy with Jaehyun's mouth, sucking the bottom lip between his sharp teeth, tugging at it and licking. 'So I've been thinking-' he paused in mid-sentence to actually stifle back a moan as skillful fingers roaming all over his bare ass suddenly stopped and cupped his cheeks, squeezing it. A hum of appreciation had left Jaehyun's mouth and he nodded, as a silent command for him to continue. 'I'm-' Wonwoo struggled to get the full sentence out because his boyfriend decided to suck a hickey somewhere on his neck, '-since you were gone for too long and, ah,' his voice slipped an octave higher as he felt Jaehyun snap his hips, grinding his hard-on against his ass, 'we've been together for over a month now and- haven't really celebrated our, ngh,' Wonwoo bit his lip, 'anniversary, and then you fucking sent me that expensive as hell _thing_ ,' he tried so hard to sound patronizing, to let Jaehyun know he was upset but he failed miserably in doing so because of the slow, agonizing movements of the blond's hips, his clothed erection meeting the curve of his ass.

He scoffed at Jaehyun's nonchalant _'I'm glad you like it'_ and put a hand over his, stopping his current movements.  
'And it's only natural for me to give you something, too, so-' Wonwoo's voice trailed off, taking a long breath before finishing the sentence.  
'So I thought that maybe youcouldfuckmythighs.' The words were blurted out so fast Jaehyun had to stop teasing his little lover to actually comprehend what had just left his mouth. Wonwoo had his head buried in the blond's shoulder, ears red from embarrassment; the sight was too cute and Jaehyun was sure he wouldn't be able to handle any more sugar in his system if kept doing _that_.

'Wow, that's a long step from eating you out.' He couldn't help but chuckle at the proposition; quite surprised if he was being honest but in a good way. 'I should go away on trips more often if it makes you that horny,' he laughed softly. Wonwoo smacked him lightly on his arm, face red as a tomato.  
Getting his hands off of his princess' ass, Jaehyun patted his head like he was comforting a puppy, lowering his lips just so, to whisper in Wonwoo's rosy ear.  
'I'll gladly fuck your thighs,' he agreed, drawing his lips closer to place a butterfly kiss on the earlobe, 'but only if you wear my little gift.' He felt the older boy shudder, in excitement, he hoped.

'That expensive as hell choker?' Wonwoo asked in a whisper, peeking through his lashes at Jaehyun, looking strangely innocent when he was anything but. A contrast indeed.

'Mhm,' a nod, 'you have to wear nothing but the choker, _baby boy_.'

The lithe fingers clutching at his shoulder for support slipped, as Wonwoo took in a sharp breath, lips quivering at the command.

  
*****

   
Jaehyun easily slipped his cock in between the gap of Wonwoo's thighs but it was so damn hard to control himself and not put it _in_. His pretty little lover had been nothing than a tease, allowing him to touch his body in a dirty way but not going all the way, still. It was frustrating because Jaehyun was used to get what he wanted; having people fall on their knees and do as he pleased, letting themselves being commanded by his strings like they were puppets- but it was different with Wonwoo. He was still a bit cautious around him. Like a fragile glass that would easily break, he'd say to himself when observing the little antics of the older boy. These days though, Jeongguk liked to test his sanity. It was honestly a miracle he'd managed to get some alone time with his cute boyfriend and not being bothered and cock-blocked by his younger brother for once.  
The time they had for themselves now was precious and he planned on exploiting it fully.

Enjoying the quiet moans his princess dared to let out without covering his mouth with a hand, Jaehyun pressed his front tightly against the other's back, right arm pillowing Wonwoo's head and the other one roaming over his thighs and up, feeling every little shake of that beautiful body under his touch. It was all too intoxicating; hearing the soft, strained breaths coming out of those kitten lips because even though all this was Wonwoo's idea, to willingly let Jaehyun fuck his thighs, the older boy held back, still, as if being afraid of making the neighbors angry with his loud mouth. As cute as it seemed at first, the quiet sounds were quite bothering him now.  
Jaehyun's left hand stopped exploring the supple skin on Wonwoo's abdomen and lingered down, fingers brushing against the sensitive skin of his cock. The little act had a very pleasurable effect; Wonwoo visibly shuddered as a wave of excitement washed over his spine, and a loud, breathy moan got past his lips.

_Success._

'Jaehyunnie,' he whimpered, eyes squeezed shut. The tight hold the blond had around him felt too good. Wonwoo put his hand over the one grasping at his arousal, shaking.

'Yes, baby?' Jaehyun's teeth tugged at Wonwoo's choker, making his body shift closer to his as he pushed forward, his slick with lube cock grazing briefly over the wet rim on accident. 

Jaehyun felt Wonwoo shudder against him. 'Stop-' He got interrupted by a sudden, loud sound, coming from the phone he'd left on the nightstand. Eyes going wider by second, Wonwoo bit his lip, trying to ignore the annoying ringtone his friend had picked while being drunk and crazy. _No_ , he wasn't going to pick up. It seemed that his boyfriend had other plans, though.

Jaehyun reached for the device, a devilish grin spreading over his face as he clicked at the green button, and quickly withdrew back, leaving the phone in his lover's clumsy hand. The panic on Wonwoo's face as a very familiar voice had shouted its greetings from the speaker was hilarious. For a moment, he forgot about the consequences he was probably going to take a beating for when the call ended.

 _'Won, thank God you picked up,'_ Youngho's voice was heard through the phone, and Wonwoo broke into a cold sweat as Jaehyun bit the place on the back of his neck, licking the sore spot afterwards. It was going to leave a nasty mark.

'Y-yeah? What's up?' Wonwoo tried to hold back a moan; Jaehyun had no mercy, drawing long lines along the curve of his cock while thrusting into the warmth between his thighs.

 _'Well, thing is that we might not be able to come to cheer on Soon this weekend and- Oh my God, Wonwoo, are you getting dicked?!'_ He gasped out and Jaehyun stifled back a laugh against Wonwoo's shoulder blades when he heard a loud _'my boy is getting what?!'_ from Taeyong in the background.

'N-no, 'm not.' Wonwoo got visibly red in the face, trying to stable his breathing- it was hard when he had _someone's_ dick humping his thighs. Could he control himself a bit, please?

'His thighs are,' Jaehyun replied back, loud enough to get it to the people on the other line.

 _'Wonwoo is getting his thighs fucked?!'_ Taeyong's voice called out from the phone as if seeking a confirmation, making the blond snicker. Wonwoo's eyes got comically wide and he turned over his shoulder, just a little to give his shameless boyfriend the best glare he could muster. Jaehyun grinned sheepishly- catching his lips in a heated kiss before Youngho's high-pitched voice interrupted their moment.

 _'You guys are so fuckin' nasty!'_ He shrieked through the speaker, and even though they were miles away, Wonwoo could clearly imagine Youngho's terrified face. _'Ugh, you know what, Won- I'll just text you later,'_ he paused, coughing awkwardly. _'Use protection!'_ And the line went dead.

'I hate you.' Wonwoo moaned as soon as he'd managed to get his phone on the nightstand, hands shaking. Jaehyun had his fingers wrapped securely around his cock, massaging the sensitive skin in slow movements- getting strained breaths in return.

'I try my best,' he grinned against his nape and pouting, Wonwoo pressed his thighs together as best as he could, trapping in the only thing his boyfriend was proud of the most.

Jaehyun's breath hitched.

'Fuck,' he bit his lips as he felt the build up in his abdomen reach its peak and the blood went straight into his cock when Wonwoo shifted in the position, brushing his thighs together, squirming. Biting his lip it drew blood, he tightened his hold around his lover. He knew he made his baby upset but to that extent for him to actually draw an orgasm out of him like _that_ -

Jaehyun tried hard to endure the torture, trust him, he really did but because of his non-existent self-restraint, he'd come with Wonwoo's name on his lips like a damn teenager, out of breath and sweaty, getting his boyfriend's thighs dirty with his seed. Some even stained the sheets and he braced himself in advance for the scolding coming later.  
Because of the dirty act his boyfriend had pulled on him, Jaehyun's hold on that pretty little cock loosened completely, leaving the business for Wonwoo to finish. He could see the frown on that beautiful face.

'Sorry,' he mouthed between the kisses on the older boy's nape. He watched him eye the mess down there with a pout. 'I got carried away.'

Wonwoo let out a long, strained sigh. 'I told you to use a condom. You spilled your load _everywhere_. Jesus.' A tint of red mapped the apples of his cheeks. Teasing Jaehyun could quickly get out of hand, especially when they were this intimate. But Wonwoo got upset with how his boyfriend couldn't keep to himself for a moment while he was on the phone. He couldn't face his friends after something this embarrassing. Seriously.  
Turning over his shoulder, he locked eyes with Jaehyun. 'Don't do that again, please.'

'Do what, exactly?'

Wonwoo groaned in frustration. 'Uh, I don't know, humping my thighs when Youngho is on the line, maybe? It must've been a terrifying experience for him.'

'You're concerned about _that_?' Jaehyun laughed softly, amused. 'You're cute.'

Wonwoo rolled his eyes but let himself being pulled into a tight back hug. It didn't last long though; they were both all sticky and the thing poking dangerously at the crack of his ass indicated that Jaehyun was ready for another round which would be twice as tiring. Wonwoo might be in his early twenties but doing such activities drained his energy quite quickly. He was still getting used to all this. If only Jaehyun were a bit patient with him and let him catch a breath, that would be great. Please.

Patting his boyfriend's thigh, Wonwoo sighed. 'Don't even think about it, I'm still a bit upset,' he warned, reaching out behind to slap Jaehyun's sneaky hand parting his cheeks not very subtly. He could vividly imagine his boyfriend pouting behind him as a whiny, displeased grunt left Jaehyun's lips.

'Acting cute isn't gonna make my thighs spread again, you know,' Wonwoo voiced out teasingly, but let the younger pepper his nape with butterfly kisses. To be honest, he enjoyed little moments like these the most. Laying in bed and getting showered with love like that was the level of intimacy more important to him than the actual sex. Not that he'd admit it out loud but soft touches of another person were something he'd craved for while being single. It's been a long time after all.

Sighing, Wonwoo sat up, unclasping the expensive choker and put it back into the box before reaching out for the bottom drawer of his nightstand, pulling something out. He didn't get the chance to even finish, leaving all the fun to his boyfriend but now it was his turn to have some fun.  
Jaehyun ended up wrapping an arm around his waist, placing wet kisses along his spine. He was still in the middle of marking his lover's back when the man himself stood up, causing Jaehyun to kiss the air and walked over to the door in all his naked glory, leaving him in the messy sheets alone. It was truly a sight to behold. Jaehyun grinned to himself, proud of his work. Wonwoo looked ethereally stunning covered in hickeys, painting the fair color of his skin red. The cum running down the back of his thighs was a nice bonus.

'Where are you going?' The blond asked, curiosity flashing over his face. Wonwoo sent a bored look his way.

'Take a shower- _again_ ,' he said, pouting and turned on the knob, 'and maybe finger myself, I guess,' he shook the tiny bottle of what Jaehyun could guess was _lube_ in his hand. Wonwoo was half-joking; no way he was going to put himself through that hell again, but now that his boyfriend was here- he could use a helping hand.

Jaehyun was quick to sit up, confused. 'What the heck? I thought you said no dicks allowed yet?' His face darkened when Wonwoo looked over his shoulder, nonchalant. He gave him a challenging look.

'Yeah, dicks. I didn't say anything about fingers, though.' And with that, he left the room and his baffled boyfriend behind. Noticing the way Wonwoo's ass swayed a little too suggestively as if saying _'come and get me'_ , it didn't take even a second for Jaehyun to quickly sober up from the sudden daze and clumsily, he left the warm bed to chase after Wonwoo. He'd managed to stop him in time before his fingers touched the handle of the bathroom's door, and he turned around, still naked, to face the blond.

Jaehyun put a hand over Wonwoo's, stealthily taking the tiny bottle away from his possession. It was already half-empty, he'd noticed. _Naughty._ He was met with a quirked eyebrow, still as elegantly shaped as he remembered.

'I want to do it,' Jaehyun's voice faltered in a whisper but his eyes never left Wonwoo's, his lips quirked up at the heavy blush painted over the latter's cheeks.

'Do what?' A flutter of those pretty, inky eyelashes got in the blond's face as if trying to make the question as innocent as possible. Wonwoo might've been a shy, innocent lamb a good ninety percent of the time but the remaining ten percent were reserved for the little daredevil hidden deep inside him, going on the surface at the most unexpected times. Damn this boy. He never ceased to amaze him.

Jaehyun took a step forward, his bare chest colliding with the other's, pushing him against the closed door. Tracing both hands along the narrow curve of his hips, he pressed their bodies together, humming at the softness of Wonwoo's skin.

'I want to fuck you with my fingers.' A whisper in his ear left Wonwoo gasp softly against the other's neck, any words of reply choked back in his throat because of the tight hold Jaehyun's hands got on his ass. Nibbling at his bottom lip, Wonwoo nodded meekly, all the attempts to act it out tough disappearing into thin air and he let Jaehyun open the door behind him and stumble backwards, manhandled into the compromising position.

 

Not long after that, Wonwoo ended up face pressed against the tiled wall of the shower with Jaehyun's fingers in his ass. While playing with himself didn't get him the expected satisfaction, he wasn't that much surprised that fingers from someone else would bring out the needed pleasure. Wonwoo had come untouched just with Jaehyun's fingers pressing tightly against his prostate, the man looking smugly proud of the mess he'd caused. Although it was a first for Wonwoo to let his lover put anything other than a tongue inside, he'd concluded that perhaps doing it again some other time wouldn't be so bad. Jaehyun seemed to agree as well, judging by the lewd comments whispered into his ear as well as the amount of fresh red marks his teeth left on Wonwoo's skin. His back must've looked funny right now. He was afraid for a moment he'd have to resort back to wearing turtlenecks, in this messy weather no less. Loitering around with his marked neck exposed would bring unnecessary attention at his person, be it good or bad, and Wonwoo would rather stab himself than be the center of gossip at Uni. Or the group of his stupid friends for that matter. God. How was he supposed to hide something like this from Soonyoung? The traitor knew already about Jaehyun's surprise visit. Surely he was smart enough to put two and two together. Add the mom and dad couple who witnessed a bit of their friends fucking over the phone and voila, a huge pain in the ass is created.  
Wonwoo groaned just at the thought of his friends asking him questions. Ugh.

'Why the long face?' Jaehyun asked with a raised brow, clinging to the other boy from behind.

'Uh, just thinking about what to wear to cover your fucking hickeys,' Wonwoo whined, observing his reddened neck in the mirror. 'You didn't hold back, seriously.'

Jaehyun snickered loudly. 'Then just don't. Let them see. Everyone's gonna be jealous because you look beautiful marked up like this.'

'But I have work tomorrow,' Wonwoo protested, hiding his flushed face in his hands, 'what can I say to the kids if they see the hickeys?'

'Tell them it was the mosquito,' he felt Jaehyun shrug behind him. 'I'm sure that'd work.' He laughed as Wonwoo groaned, lips turning into a pout.

'Unbelievable.'

***** 

Once settled on the comfy couch in the living room wearing just a pair of sweatpants he'd brought with him, Jaehyun's keen eyes observed the perky little butt swaying to the sides as his princess was working his magic hands in the kitchen. Although both spent from the previous activities, their stomachs had been running on empty for so long and it never was too late for a snack. Jaehyun could feast on two.

Wonwoo had put on the girls' panties with printed strawberries Soonyoung had given him as a joke on his birthday but being the not-so-secret fan of cute things, Wonwoo had kept them, hidden along the other girly stuff deep in the closet. Only Jaehyun had the honor of seeing him like this, dressed up in thigh panties, all pretty just for him. It took a lot of courage to come out and let him _see_ as Wonwoo could get very self-conscious about his body but his boyfriend had been nothing but supportive, throwing nothing but the praises about how good he looked and _'you're such a cute baby doll'_ was whispered against his earlobe as naughty hands played with the thin material of the underwear.

Wonwoo looked extremely sinful in those panties. It'd be even better if he didn't put on an oversized shirt to cover half of his bottom. Despite the tiny disappointment, Jaehyun fumbled with his phone, angling the camera just right to take a sneaky picture of the beautiful person cooking dinner.

The little act didn't go unnoticed though. As if having a sixth sense, Wonwoo turned around, spatula in his hand and frowned. 'You guys sure love to take stalker pictures of me, huh?' He sounded salty, Jaehyun noticed. Wait-

' _We guys_? Did someone take a pic without your consent?' He asked with a raised brow.

Turning his attention back to the frying pan, Wonwoo sighed. 'Kinda? It was a friend though, not anyone to worry about,' he quickly added, waving his hand dismissively.  
Relaxing a bit into the softness of the couch, Jaehyun nodded, albeit still not fully convicted.

'I hope it wasn't one of the nude ones, only I have the right to take those,' he huffed, gluing his eyes to the TV. He heard Wonwoo laugh, as beautifully as always, the slight change in pitch making his body giddy. It was so cute.

'Uh huh. Whatever you say.' A giggle got past his lips.

Jaehyun teared his eyes from the TV and a fond smile found its way on his lips as he caught Wonwoo hum a song under his breath. It was so damn adorable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The smut is all over the place, I'm so sorry.  
> I always get embarrassed when writing this kind of stuff. ><  
> Also thank you guys for being patient with me and for all the comments, you're too kind. *sends love*


	5. Five.

After finishing the late snack they'd probably get a stomach ache from (because pancakes surely weren't a good choice for a dinner but it was an easy food to make in Wonwoo's eyes- _and he was right_ ), Jaehyun, both full and satisfied, laid down on the couch, pulling his boyfriend with him. Luckily for them, the couch was big enough to cover their stretched out, long limbs.  
Jaehyun put an arm over Wonwoo's waist in a securing manner; partly so that he wouldn't fall off face on the floor and hummed in approval as the older curled up to him, sharing his warmth.  
They left the TV turned on, the current channel playing some ancient drama popular in the eighties, the soft sound coming from the speakers being the lullaby to their already closed off ears.

 

Making the couch their bed wasn't the best idea, the soreness and cramped muscles being the result of sleeping in such a place. Jaehyun groaned, stretching out his tired limbs, careful of the person still in a deep slumber, before him. His phone had been vibrating on the coffee table (he really should change the ringtone for his alarm, Christ); Ra, who had been sulking and hadn't come out of his house since yesterday evening, was now circling around the table, curious at the sound coming from above. He flinched when a long arm reached out to take the thing, stopping the repeating sound abruptly.

'Morning, young man,' he heard the human whisper as he made eye contact with him. It was addressed to him and he meowed to let him know he understood. Then his kitten eyes found the limp body of his owner, breathing at a steady pace, one of his free hands dangling off the couch. Ra, demanding attention as usual, came closer and licked the tips of those lithe fingers. They were gone the second the other human cracked one eye open and shifted in his seemingly painful position as a whine left his mouth.

'Next time you want to sleep on the couch, do it yourself.' Slowly, Wonwoo sat up with a groan, his boyfriend snickering from behind him. 'I can't fucking _move_.' Every muscle in his body was screaming, add the soreness from the 'activities' from yesterday and voila. Jaehyun, still laying like a log, put a hand on Wonwoo's bare thigh, massaging the cramped muscles in circle movements. It helped ease the pain if only a little. He needed a proper massage though- but there was simply no time for that. Shame.

'You didn't seem to hate it when you pressed up against me last night,' Jaehyun noted, grinning.

'I was tired,' Wonwoo reasoned and whimpered as his bare feet touched the fluffy carpet. He couldn't bring himself to stand because everything _hurt_. Christ. That was a bad idea.  
_Never again_ , he told himself. He relied on his boyfriend's strong arms to help him up, which was embarrassing if you ask him because Wonwoo was a big boy, not a kid. He flushed deep red as Jaehyun's daring hand smacked his bottom, laughing. He'd honor him with a glare but eh, too much work.

Sighing, he limped his way to the kitchen, in search for some pet food. Ra was starting to loudly remind himself, being the attention seeker that he was. Jaehyun, still lazing on the couch, patted the warm but empty space before him, urging the cat to come for a cuddle. And Ra, being the absolute traitor, complied almost immediately, hopping up to rest his heavy body right against Jaehyun's stomach. His fur was warm for the boy to brush his fingers through it, receiving a good amount of soft purrs in return. Despite the cat's aversion to strangers invading his territory, he'd come to like Jaehyun on the first time they'd been introduced. Just like Mingyu. They were both similar in a sense; the looks and personalities if only with a slight difference here and there, and Wonwoo couldn't help but compare the two. It was silly, of course, but his mind seemed to toy with the thought. Maybe a bit too much. How could he possibly compare his boyfriend to a _friend_?  
'That's stupid,' he muttered under his breath, successfully tearing the plastic wrapping open, catching Ra's attention in a flash.

'You said something?' Jaehyun's honey-like voice asked into the silent air and Wonwoo shook his head no, maybe a bit too quickly. He joined his boyfriend on the couch, choking back a hiss at the enormous pain that shot through his spine. Shaking the opened cat food clutched tightly between his fingers, Wonwoo successfully turned Ra's attention to him. Well, to the food, at least. The ginger ball slowly got up from the comfortable position, leaving a protesting Jaehyun on the couch alone as his owner lured him back to his emptied bowl beside his house.

'You took my friend away!' A pout graced Jaehyun's soft features when his cute boyfriend had reached the couch, looking very exhausted. Well, it was to be expected.

'I'd take away your 'other' friend if my muscles weren't _dead_ ,' Wonwoo hissed, gesturing vaguely over the lower area of Jaehyun's body. 'Now get up and go change, no way I'm letting you skip classes.' The whine that left the blond's mouth made him roll his eyes. If he thought he'd get away with this, he was wrong. Jaehyun should know by now his princess didn't take education lightly; both his and his friends'. Why did he think a boyfriend would be an exception?

'Wow, you're so not cute,' Jaehyun noted, shifting from the sleeping position to sit up.  
Reluctantly, he got up from the couch, not forgetting to show a sad face of a kicked puppy to his boyfriend who pretended he didn't see anything and went to fetch for his spare clothes.

'So not cute!' He shouted from the bathroom, words coming out in a muffled slur as he brushed his teeth. Wonwoo could only laugh softly at the whiny big baby.

 

Wonwoo was about to finish making lunch for his boyfriend when he noticed sneaky arms circling around his waist, fingers intertwining on his front. A kiss was left on his bare shoulder (thanks to the baggy shirt he'd put on before going to sleep) and humming, Wonwoo turned his head just the right angle so he could kiss his boyfriend on the lips. It was a quick peck, though. He could feel his cat's piercing glare at their rather intimate position. The last thing he wanted was to make Ra jealous. The pet could be a handful sometimes; he might like Jaehyun and tolerate his presence but there was a line that shouldn't be crossed.

'Do you have a shift at the hospital?' Jaehyun asked, curiosity lacing his voice. He grabbed the lunchbox offered to him, grateful because he knew he wouldn't be able to fetch something for himself; it was Friday for God's sake- meaning the canteen would be filled with broke and hungry students who come for the discounted food- _'fucking Fridays'_ \- leaving absolutely nothing to feast on and suffer the rest of classes with an empty stomach. God bless his boyfriend who had been a good cook and always mindful to feed his stomach with delicious, _homemade_ food. Jaehyun noted to himself to take him out to a nice restaurant as a thanks.

Wonwoo nodded at him, humming. 'Yeah. It's gonna be crazy, they'd admitted a new child last week and he's a handful. You'd thought night shifts are as quiet as they can get but no,' a strained sigh left his mouth. 'I'm just gonna consume an unhealthy amount of caffeine so I don't drop dead.' He shuddered at the mere thought. Wonwoo, though he may seem like the type, wasn't really fond of coffee. Jaehyun had noticed, that the only time he saw the older drink that stuff was when he was playing Fortnite and he had to keep his eyes open for God knows how long or, as Wonwoo had once confessed, when he had to pull an all-nighter. Nevertheless, the jar with a high-quality coffee was stored in the highest cupboard in the kitchen, the content still almost full.

'Is Hyejin still a patient there?'

'Mhm. She still has a long way before her, her wounds are not something easy to heal. It takes a lot of time- hopefully her brother discharges from the army soon to pay her a visit. She misses him badly.' Wonwoo's face dropped and he sighed. The little girl had been barely eight years old and already gone through so much shit. Working with the kids in the institute got him all emotional sometimes and he had to take a break with a good book, otherwise he'd go crazy. Thank God for the kind staff there. The ladies kept him sane from the bad energy the place had been constantly surrounded with. It was to be expected, a children's mental hospital could drain one's mind real quick. Despite the depressing feel, he enjoyed taking care of the tiny patients. Hyejin was one of his favorite kids to work with, as biased as it sounded. You wouldn't think what was running through those tiny heads of children sometimes.

'I hope she gets better soon. Make sure she _eats_. Tell her I miss her.' Pulling his baby into a bear hug, Jaehyun whispered softly into his hair. Wonwoo nodded weakly and returned the hug, thin fingers clutching at the fresh dress shirt the other was wearing. Ashamed, Wonwoo couldn't help but compare Jaehyun's hugs to Mingyu's. Both felt different. Mingyu's hugs were a lot warmer but it could've been because his body heat was naturally high. The muscles also felt tad bit tighter around his frame and Wonwoo had come to realize that Jaehyun was completely different from Mingyu. It was nice being embraced by someone stronger though, and he'd felt safe in those arms, be it a friend's or his boyfriend's.

'I will, don't worry,' he offered a smile, a genuine one, giving the inviting lips a light kiss.

  

They spent the following twenty minutes playing with Ra who had been sulking because no one paid attention to him and to compensate the overlooking, Jaehyun had to quietly suffer, seated on the fluffy carpet a good meter away from his boyfriend who still had those adorable panties on, a toy that looked strangely like a damn banana in his hand, wiggling it above the pet's round head, giggling as a pair of front paws tried to grab the thing flying through the air. Jaehyun kind of expected it'd come to this, eventually- a homey date with his boyfriend always ended up with Wonwoo forgetting his whole existence at some point because the cat liked to be spoiled and couldn't play by himself. He didn't like pointing fingers but you could guess _who_ was the cause of the spoiling part. It was dreadful but then again, Ra was nothing compared to Jeongguk. So Jaehyun took what he could- albeit still a bit sad not being able to make out before heading to Uni (the coach was going to work him to the bone again, ugh). He wondered what was the thing that got Jeongguk so worked up at lunch yesterday. He should ask Mingyu about it.

A sudden weight pushing at his lower body snapped him out of his thoughts and looking down, Jaehyun pouted as Ra made a nest out of his lap, back pressed against his thigh and purred as if mocking the human that he had all his owner's attention and not him. Or maybe Jaehyun was seeing things, he wasn't sure anymore.

'You're gonna get hair all over your pants if you let him sleep here,' Wonwoo giggled, pointing at the ginger ball curled up on the blond's lap. The cute sound of that usually deep voice going higher in pitch put the smile back on Jaehyun's lips. Scratching the pet behind the perked up ear, he shook his head.

'I don't mind,' he shrugged, 'since I'm not gonna stay much longer.'

'I really wish you could, though,' Wonwoo whispered, nibbling at his bottom lip. The atmosphere was getting gloomy by the second.

'Well, I could if you just let me skip-'

'Nu-uh, I know you would but education comes first,' the nagging finger was back, and it reminded Jaehyun so much of his mom when she forbid him from taking candies before going to bed. She still did it with Jeno, a habit that seemed to be engraved in her mind. 'Besides, it's time.' Wonwoo's face dropped as he briefly looked over at the TV, knowing the other would follow his movement. So much for that. Ra was being put back on the floor, his round face going grumpy as the human's warmth had left him and hopped back on the couch to make himself comfortable. Jaehyun rolled his eyes, quietly envying the pet because how nice it'd be spending every day in Wonwoo's presence and being taken care of- He couldn't help but sigh, patting Ra on the head as a silent goodbye before following quiet steps of his boyfriend into the hall.

 

'Behave.' It was meant to sound patronizing but the softness it was voiced with made Jaehyun's lips stretch into a fond smile.

Straightening his back, he replied, cheeky, 'I always do, though,' and turned around, bag hung over his shoulder, heavy with books. His frame didn't falter one bit, the work out he had to go through in order to maintain his strong physique was much worse than a pile of books. 'Well, I'll be going,' a sad pout made its way on his lips. He saw Wonwoo nod his pretty head, hair bouncing cutely as he did so and sighing, Jaehyun reached for the front door but wasn't able to push it open as he was being suddenly spun around, a string of pain shot through his neck. Before he could check what had just happened, Wonwoo's blushing cheeks got in his face and palming the throbbing place where his shoulder met his neck, it was clear as water a hickey was forming shape. A very bold hickey. Wow.

'Did you just _bite_ me?' Jaehyun couldn't help but grin.

'Shut up, it's a little payback for all those bruises you left all over me,' Wonwoo huffed, averting his eyes but it was a useless move nonetheless as his boyfriend let out a really annoyingly sweet _'aww'_ as his hands cupped his cheeks.

'I love when you're possessive, it's cute.' The low whisper sent shivers down his spine but Wonwoo hid the blush by turning his head away, pouting.

'I'm not.' Now he was sulking for real and if that wasn't the cutest thing, then Jaehyun didn't know what else was.

'Yeah, yeah.' Trying to not burst out laughing and risk a nudge to his ribs, the blond pulled Wonwoo into a quick, suffocating hug. 'You're the cutest,' he mumbled into his hair to hide the grin but failed as his boyfriend had really sharp senses.

Pulling away abruptly from the hug, Wonwoo looked at him, harsh. 'Jung Jaehyun, I swear to God- if you call me that one more time,' he bent down just enough to grab a plastic toy- Ra's favorite one, 'something bad might happen to you-' he aimed it at the blond's chest, wiggling it dangerously around. Holding back a giggle was becoming harder and harder to do.

'What? That you're cute? It's a fact, approved by the law actually,' he shrugged, quickly slipping into his shoes because of the hell that was about come his way.  
'Jeon Wonwoo is the cutest and with that, I'm out! Bye!' Jaehyun blew a kiss his way before swiftly disappearing outside the apartment, successfully dodging one of Ra's toys sent at him. Wonwoo puffed out his cheeks, frowning.

'I'm not!' He yelled back but the words bounced off the closed doors like a ball. 

  
*****

   
The day couldn't have been greater. Wonwoo had no choice but limp, even if that meant getting curious looks at the weird shift in his walking from the fellow students passing by the hall. His ass got to rest for a little while driving to Uni but the second he tried to get out, all the pain had returned back in full force and Wonwoo had to literally take a pill to prevent himself from crying. He was this close from doing just that. Soonyoung had been a fidgety mess when they met up in one of their shared classes, not missing the slow process of his best friend taking a seat. A rather disturbing, low whistle left his mouth but the expected interrogation hadn't come and that was way more unsetting. Maybe the blond had been trying to be considerate for a change. Wonwoo appreciated the gesture but something seemed fishy, still. It wasn't Soonyoung if something didn't happen.

Approximately after the third period, as Wonwoo had been walking (more like trying to) with his friends to take their spot under the tree behind the gym to start their usual study session, he kind of brought it upon himself by letting out a word of complaint.

'Ugh, my thighs are killing me,' Wonwoo let out a pained cry. He had to be extra careful of sitting down on the laid out blanket.

'Mhm, I wonder why.' Youngho made a thinking face.

 _'Don't,'_ Wonwoo hissed, placing both hands on Soonyoung's ears because he was starting to be very interested in the conversation the tall hyung was about to have.

'I can only imagine,' Soonyoung nodded, forcefully tearing his friend's hands finger by finger off of his ears. 'After the effort I've put into setting this up-' he trailed off, looking down on his open book to avoid Wonwoo's deadly glare. 'Did Jae finally get to dick you properly? Like, in the ass?' Soonyoung's mouth reacted faster than his brain and Mark, poor Mark almost choked on his sandwich after hearing the words.

'Language, there are kids here,' Taeyong threatened with a finger, brows furrowed. He got a disapproving look from both Mark and Chan.

'We're already eighteen!' They yelled in unison, pouting.

'Yet you're blushing like a bunch of twelve years old,' Youngho pointed out at the pair of equally matched reddened cheeks, receiving a couple of smacks on his arm from them.

'Um, Chan's not a 'twelve years old' anymore, or so I've heard,' Mark then butted in, mouth full of his lunch. Soonyoung suddenly bolted out of his seat to place a hand on the younger's mouth, aware of the suspicious look Taeyong had given him. However, the way Chan's face heated up in embarrassment confirmed the senior's suspicions.

'That's beside the point now,' the blond cleared his throat, 'anyway, Won?' He turned to his friend who pretended he's not here, munching quietly on his food. 'Since you had quite a hard time sitting down in class, Jae must've dicked you real good-'

'Wait. I thought he only fucked your thighs,' Taeyong cut the younger off, brows raised. 'You let him go all the way?' The red-head was just curious, worried almost and he surely didn't mean any harm but Wonwoo wanted to disappear and never see the sun anymore.

'Ooh, so it all worked out perfectly then!' Soonyoung exclaimed cheerfully, clasping his hands together. 'How did you feel? Was he big? Did it hurt? If he hurt you I swear-' Wonwoo was getting overwhelmed by the questions thrown at him, one inappropriate after another.

'Uh, um- I have Mingyu's pic if you're still interested-' Wonwoo suddenly blurted out, desperately trying to change the topic. He felt embarrassed enough, having the intimate aspect of his life discussed in detail among the circle of his friends. He didn't want to bring this up like this but Soonyoung left him no choice.

'That's a good idea!' Chan, sensing the discomfort in his hyung's body language, nodded in agreement.

'Okay, so we'll also ignore the hickeys you got all over your neck and God knows where else?' Youngho asked, finger pointing rudely at the reddened skin Wonwoo's carefully chosen sweater couldn't cover.

Pulling his phone from the back pocket of his pants, he nodded, face red as a tomato. 'Yes.'

'But I wanna know details!' Soonyoung whined, trying his best to soften his friend's glare by pouting cutely.

'If you keep this up I won't let you look at Mingyu's face so you can only _imagine_ what he looks like.' Soonyoung's mouth closed after the cold shoulder Wonwoo gave him and sulking, he scooted closer to Chan to complain in a tone what he assumed was moderate.

'You win but I'm still mad.' Wonwoo rolled his eyes and scrolled down his phone, to the selfie Mingyu had taken.

'Chan, keep your man in line.' Surprisingly, it was Taeyong who also noticed the discomfort on Wonwoo's face and decided to step in. Handling the young ones in their group was a pain in the ass sometimes.

Chan laughed heartily whilst nodding. 'You heard mom, Soonie. No whining. Let Wonwoo hyung have at least a bit of his privacy, hm? Can you do that for me?' He asked in the cutest voice possible, eyes going big as he looked at his boyfriend. The cute act had an immediate effect; Soonyoung's gaze softened and hugging Chan by the waist, he nuzzled his head into the crook of his neck, nodding.

'Glad we're finally done with this,' Youngho then exclaimed, turning all the attention on himself, 'now, Won, be a doll and show the guys Mingyu's face so we can study in peace,' his finger circled around the bunch of people sitting across from him. Taeyong looked over at him like he grew another head at the mention of study coming from his usually carefree boyfriend. He was being shushed by a loud flow of gasps as Soonyoung, seated beside Wonwoo, got to be the first one to have the phone handed over to. He didn't even try to keep his face straight.

'Bitch, what the fuck? Is he for real? He's a literal _snack_.' Taeyong gave up on censoring the curse words coming from Soonyoung. 'I wouldn't mind having a threesome with him.' Chan, visibly embarrassed by his boyfriend's behavior, smacked him lightly on the arm. Wonwoo could relate. He felt like this on a daily basis.

'Back off, Soonyoung, he has a girlfriend,' Wonwoo pointed out and got a whispered _'thank you'_ from Chan.

'Yeah, he's straight as Wonwoo's nose,' Youngho confirmed.

'Damn, that's hella straight,' the blond whistled, making their friends laugh.

'Mhm,' Mark hummed as the phone got into his hands, 'I don't know guys, he kinda seems like an arrogant prick,' he shrugged, oblivious of the disapproving look on Wonwoo's face. 'He dresses like the majority of rich white dudes.'

'Don't judge the book by its cover,' Wonwoo was quick to butt in, hands flailing as he tried to kill the false accusation hanging on Mark's tongue, 'Mingyu is anything but a prick, in fact,' a familiar heat had crept up his cheeks, and Soonyoung noticed that, grinning, 'he's literally a walking koala.'

'And you know that _how_ exactly?' Soonyoung was back to his usual-self; cheery and disturbingly annoying. His persistence in getting what he wanted was just an unavoidable bonus.

Wonwoo picked a strawberry out of his lunchbox and nibbled on it when he whispered, barely audibly, 'he's clingy and the way he hugs just feels like it, I guess' and quickly hid his face in his hands. He didn't expect a couple of _'aww'_ from his friends, even from _Youngho_ and it only added to his embarrassment.

'Wow, now he just sounds weirdly cute,' Mark nodded, passing the phone over to Youngho who chuckled lowly as he eyed the screen.

'Okay, Mingyu aside, is nobody gonna talk about you being in the shot wearing a fucking _flower crown_ , looking like some sorta fairy?' Youngho raised a brow in Wonwoo's direction.

'Oh yeah! I totally forgot you were in the pic, Mingyu's hotness kinda got in my face,' Soonyoung grinned sheepishly in return, 'what was the deal with that flower crown anyway?' He asked, invading his friend's personal space.

Wonwoo didn't really feel like answering, he told them too much for his liking already but with all the curious looks he was getting _and_ Soonyoung practically breathing on his face, he had no choice than to give in.

'Mingyu bought it for me from a little girl we've met at the amusement park. She'd thought we're a couple.' His face must've been bright red from all the heated looks his friends were giving him.  
He'd told the others everything that had happened that day; leaving out some little details here and there, like him crying and getting comforted by the younger boy and his friends listened intently for once, not daring to interrupt in fear they'd miss something important. Even Taeyong seemed to be very indulged in the one-man conversation, eyes hanging onto Wonwoo's lips as he continued speaking, leaving both him and the others speechless as he got to the part where he had Mingyu tucked under one of the cute blankets he had reserved for Jeno.

'Dang, he _really_ does sound cute,' Soonyoung admitted after Wonwoo finished, out of breath, 'but he's still hot and I still kinda want a threesome with hi- ow!' He yelped as Chan smacked him over the head. All the guys erupted in a loud laughter then, highly amused by the scene. Wonwoo couldn't help but join in, giggling as Soonyoung started to fake cry, only to sulk for real afterward as his smaller boyfriend gave him a cold shoulder. They didn't get much studying that day.

  
*****

   
Around four in the afternoon, as Wonwoo parked his car in the parking lot, he'd noticed a familiar figure stepping out of a manager's car, the one Wonwoo knew all too well. He couldn't miss the tall form of his mom's bodyguard, Choi Seunghyun who was now reaching for something in the back seat and now that he'd thought about it, it was obvious because it was Friday and the enormous and heavy- looking box indicated one thing.

'I told mom she doesn't really need to bother sending me these,' Wonwoo's tired voice interrupted the silence. Seunghyun turned around with a smile.

'I beg to differ; with the way you care for others more than for yourself, it's actually a good thing your mom makes sure you won't die from the lack of vitamins.' Wonwoo shrugged at that, not sassing back at the man because he knew it was true. He hadn't been good with keeping his body healthy lately- well, never was, the work and stuff at Uni taking its toll on his mind and body. Forgetting to eat was something he had to change, he knew. The constant reminders from his friends being the proof of that.

'I hope she put some bananas in there,' Wonwoo commented off matter, glancing at the box Seunghyun held in his arms like it was nothing.

'Wow, your mood does change very quickly,' he laughed as Wonwoo rolled his eyes.

 

Having some time to spare before his night shift, Wonwoo had invited Seunghyun inside, even when the man insisted he's in a hurry because of some unfinished business. However, Wonwoo had been persistent, pulling out one of his best weapons- his pout. It was hard to ignore the kid now; especially when all you could see were pouty lips and that sad look in those eyes Seunghyun always had a weakness for since he started the job. Wonwoo could be really adamant if he wanted, a trait inherited from his mother, surprisingly. Seunghyun had learned it was nearly impossible to oppose the mother-son duo so he gave in and stayed for a cup of tea and cookies.  
They were delicious if he may add.

They chatted for roughly an hour before a loud ringing from Seunghyun's back pocket interrupted their moment. Judging by the time showing on the lock screen, it was one of his clients. Wonwoo threw him a knowing look, nodding silently as he got up from the couch. Seunghyun whispered a barely audible apology and picked up the call. As expected, a very annoyed voice startled both him and the younger as the client asked where the hell he's been. He saw Wonwoo click his tongue, brows knitted together and Seunghyun reached out to smooth the wrinkles away with a thumb, smiling fondly. He didn't have kids but he thought of Wonwoo as if he were his own.  
Placing a palm over the speaker, Seunghyun thanked the boy for the drink and cookies which tasted amazing and ruffled the jet black hair, humming at the softness. He got a light blush dusting Wonwoo's cheeks in return. God, he was so adorable.

'Tell Jiyoung hyung I said hi.' The blush died down as Wonwoo whispered the words so the client didn't suspect anything. Seunghyun, still with his phone glued to his ear, though in moderate distance because the old man was being too obnoxious and loud, nodded and took his leave with a salute. Wonwoo stifled back a laugh behind his hand.

 

Because Ra was being taken care of at Mrs. Kang's apartment and there was still time before he would leave, Wonwoo busied himself with cleaning the room he'd lent to Mingyu the other day, whilst ashamed he hadn't made time to do it sooner.

As he was changing the sheets, he'd noticed something shiny on the nightstand, blinding his eyes for a moment as the sun rays reflected the light on it. Getting a closer look, Wonwoo noticed it was a pretty, silver bracelet with a sun pendant, most likely custom-made. Not anything his friends had owned. The most logical answer was that the accessory probably belonged to Mingyu and due to the rush before he'd forgotten it here. Come to think of it, he must've been freaking out at home because of that thing gone missing from his wrist. Wonwoo almost laughed inwardly at the thought; the image of a big puppy frantically turning his apartment upside down in search of his bracelet just to end up crying because it wasn't there. But Wonwoo wasn't an asshole so he took out his phone and took a picture of the accessory, hitting the send button right under Mingyu's contact.

**[Friday, 05:34 pm] To: Mingyu**

_sent a photo_

**[Friday, 05:34 pm] To: Mingyu**

_I think this belongs to you_

 Not a minute after he sent the message, his phone vibrated in his hand, startling Wonwoo from his position. Mingyu was calling.

 _'Oh my God, thank Jesus it's still there and not in a trash can!'_ A very loud and breathy voice invaded his ears. _'I was freaking out when I noticed it's not on my wrist,'_ he kept on screaming, making Wonwoo's ear go deaf in a blink of an eye. _'Dahyun doesn't suspect a thing so I'm still safe...'_ The last sentence came off as a whisper and it made him think that the bracelet was a gift from Mingyu's girlfriend, judging by the erratic reaction. The guy didn't even let him speak, for God's sake.

'Um-' Wonwoo tried to break the flow of words coming from his phone but got interrupted.

_'Can you hold onto it for a while until I get to your apartment to pick it up? I can be there in fifteen minutes if I break some of the traffic rules-'_

Now Wonwoo had to interfere. 'Slow down, Mingyu, no one is gonna break traffic rules,' he raised his voice to stop the other from rambling and actually crash into his apartment because he would do just that if he let his guard down. 'You can't come in here, I have to go to work now.' A very disturbing sound of Mingyu's heavy breathing came from the speaker, making Wonwoo sigh. 'However, if you're free tomorrow afternoon, you can come pick it up. I can hold onto it until then,' he suggested, slowly, letting the younger catch a breath and when he did, he hummed in response. Wonwoo took it as yes. 'You have to make quite a trip to Gangnam to get it, though,' he couldn't help but chuckle as he heard a loud gasp from the other line.

 _'What the fuck? What's in Gangnam? You don't live there?!'_ Mingyu must've been confused as hell. Understandable.

'There's a dance competition my friend's entering and I don't know how long it's gonna last so it'd be better if we meet there-' he paused, 'it's also a good opportunity to meet new people. You can bring your girlfriend along if she wants, too.' The line was silent for a brief second before Wonwoo heard Mingyu sigh.

_'Okay, we can do that. Yeah. No big deal. Right-'_

'Mingyu, stop rambling,' Wonwoo warned, stern. 'It's gonna be fine, I'll text you the exact location and time so I can hand it to you before your girlfriend notices something's missing, yeah?'

 _'Okay. Thanks and sorry,'_ he apologized though there was really no need to and Wonwoo brushed it off with a hum.

'Gosh, you're such a baby,' he laughed, his nose scrunching up when Mingyu cried in his ear, embarrassed.

_'I'm not!'_

Wonwoo could swear the younger just said that with a pout.

  
*****

   
The low numbers on the phone were showing that it was around three in the morning when Wonwoo got home. The night shift had been one of the quiet ones he's had in a while and he was glad for that. His system didn't have to be filled with an unhealthy amount of caffeine which was good. Wonwoo just consumed at least ten donuts the counselor guy had brought instead. In his defense, they were seriously amazing, he'd even asked for a recipe even though his face got all shades of red while asking. It was understandable when the guy was a literal Greek God dressed in cozy, knitted sweaters. (Sometimes, he also wore suits to work but let's not talk about it.) Half of the staff in the hospital kind of had a crush on him. Wonwoo wasn't one of those people, he had a boyfriend but he'd be lying if he didn't sneak a peek at the handsome counselor when he passed by the hall. Hyejin was really fond of him, too and that instantly increased the positive points by a hundred for the guy.

Not wanting to disturb the quiet peace in his apartment, Wonwoo took slow steps into the living room, to check if his place didn't get robbed while he was away.  
He wasn't even surprised to find Soonyoung passed out on the couch, the TV remote still in his hands, one leg dangling off the couch. He fetched Ra from Mrs. Kang, too, the pet sleeping soundly, curled up on his tree, occasionally shifting in position to find a more comfortable one. The empty boxes of a Chinese take-out had been folded into a pile, not a single one forgotten on the floor usually typical for Soonyoung. _At least he tried,_ Wonwoo mused, picking the boxes from the table, disposing them in a trash bin in the kitchen. He tiptoed to the snoring hamster and carefully patted him on his thigh.

'You can't sleep in here, Soonyoung,' Wonwoo whispered, pulling him up into a seating position, the blond's eyes still heavily closed. 'You have to rest your body for the competition and my couch isn't gonna give you that,' he giggled when his friend lolled his head what could be an agreement. He was still limp, though, not moving an inch from the couch. Eventually, Wonwoo had to help him up, propping an arm around his middle and led him to the guest room through muffled protests from Soonyoung because he wanted to sleep with his bestie. _'I don't want you to catch a cold,'_ he slurred, pouting as he was being forcefully tucked in a cold bed, a blanket thrown over his body.

'I'll live, don't worry,' Wonwoo reassured him, smiling. 'Good night, Soon.' The blond let out a sleepy giggle when his forehead got a quick, motherly kiss from his best friend.

  
*****

   
Snuggled under two layers of blankets, as Wonwoo was getting his well-deserved amount of sleep, someone had sneaked inside, the shadow of a person passing by the bed to the closet to open it in a slow motion. Unaware of the shuffling as his closet was being rummaged through, Wonwoo shuddered and cuddled his blanket because the room had gotten chilly. It was already late in the morning, though the closed curtains didn't let any trace of the sun slip inside the bedroom because Wonwoo had been really tired and didn't want to be disturbed at any cost.  
The sound of rushed steps was heard as the person began walking around, and it was all quiet until a blinding light invaded the darkness of the room, disturbing the peaceful expression on Wonwoo's face. Scrunching his nose up in distaste, he turned around, back facing the window and threw a blanket over his head. It was being pulled off of him in a second as a very cheery voice exclaimed loudly, _'wake up, sleepyhead!'_ , too loud for anyone to be their morning alarm. Really, for once, Soonyoung had to be up sooner than him and be a nuisance already.

'What time is it?' Groaning, Wonwoo rubbed his eyes, squinting as the light invaded his blurry vision and rolled onto his back just to be greeted by a figure of his best friend kneeling beside him, smiling like an idiot.

'It's around ten,' Soonyoung answered, grinning at the starfish position his friend had transformed into, 'I already made breakfast and put some fresh clothes on the chair for you.' Wonwoo raised a brow at the new information, actually in awe because Soonyoung making food was new. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

'Should I be worried about the state of my kitchen?' He mumbled, not shifting from his position.

A pouty hamster got in his face. 'What do you take me for? I'm not that clumsy, mind you,' he pursed his lips. 'Now get up, you lazy ass, the competition is starting at one and I wanna pick a good number so the sooner we arrive there, the better.' Wonwoo felt his butt being patted and groaning, he finally changed his position into a sitting one, not yet wanting to leave the warm bedsheets.

'Can you hand my phone over?' He asked grumpily, wiggling his fingers. Soonyoung's amused chuckle rang in his ears but as by request, he got the device handed to almost instantly.

'Aw, my bestie looks so cute when he's sleepy,' the blond cooed, ruffling Wonwoo's hair in affection, making his bed hair even messier than it's been before. 

Soonyoung made it from the bedroom in time before he could be hit with a pillow thrown his way.

 

'Damn, someone's looking sexy.'

The annoying, cheery voice was back as Wonwoo entered the living room, making him roll his eyes. He'd changed into the clothes his friend had tossed unceremonially on the chair when he opened his closet without permission. 'I knew you had it in you!' A whistle. 'I'm glad that now you have the opportunity to wear that sweater I got you.' Soonyoung nodded to himself, stuffing his mouth with a buttered bread, drinking the dryness in his throat away with warm tea. All prepared by himself, as he proudly exclaimed. 

Wonwoo sighed, adjusting the hem of his top, fidgety because the material clung to his body in an uncomfortable way he wasn't used to. Thank God the sleeves were long enough to cover up his hands. It was a very peculiar sweater, you see; the length was just so-so, not going further than past the narrow curve of his hips, the low cut of the collar deep enough to show off his collarbones but the sleeves longer than the actual sweater's length. It was just the right size, maybe a bit smaller and Soonyoung was aware of that, probably trying to make his best friend look more attractive by putting him into tight clothes. Wonwoo could live with the black ripped skinny jeans but the sweater-

'Soonyoung,' he started, smacking his lips in annoyance as he watched the other engulf the food in one go, surprised by the lack of gag reflex. Once he had his attention, he continued, pointing to the whole outfit, completely black. 'I'm way past my emo phase, you know,' he let out a whine, fixing the sweater again, 'and weren't you the one who always complained about me having a fashion sense of a Victorian widow?'  
The blond snorted and leaned back in his seat.

'That was in high school, though the point still stands but now I just want you to wear things I bought for you, so let the guy have a little fun, eh?' He smiled, eyes disappearing into tiny crescents and Wonwoo actually couldn't protest anymore. He hated his soft side for Soonyoung's smile.  
'By the way, a choker would go nicely with the outfit,' a wink was left in his direction and Wonwoo paused, thinking. The image of Jaehyun's little, expensive gift didn't want to go away.

'Okay.' Was all Wonwoo replied with before he walked into his bedroom to take the velvet box from the nightstand.

Soonyoung managed to stuff himself with another slice of bread when Wonwoo returned to the living room, all styled up and oh, was that choker around his neck?

'Oh my fucking God! What is _that_?!' The blond couldn't help but to spring out of his seat, crumbs of bread falling off of the corner of his mouth right on the floor as he hopped to his friend just so he could get a closer look at the thing.

'Uh, a choker?' Wonwoo stated the obvious, shifting in his spot because Soonyoung's intense stare made him uncomfortable. 'It was a gift from Jaehyun for our anniversary-' He trailed off, fingers lingering over the satin material tickling the skin on his neck. Casting his eyes down, he blushed a nice shade of pink when remembering the night before, and the things he did- _they_ did, a tingling sensation washing over his spine. His friend noticed that, much to his dismay but decided not to pry on it and remained silent instead, eyeing the choker from a very close proximity. Wonwoo appreciated that.

'Dude,' Soonyoung finally breathed out, tiny eyes open wide in a comical way, 'is that diamond?' Chubby fingers brushed over the shiny pendant and Wonwoo nodded meekly, still blushing but smiling nonetheless. He almost had a stroke when he found out how much the gift cost- nearly considering flying to the States and personally strangle his boyfriend because no one would give you a three hundred bucks-worthy gift on the first month of your anniversary. That was just _insane_.  
'What the fuck, this shit is expensive as all frick, I'd have to sell my kidney to afford it,' Soonyoung's jaw dropped low when Wonwoo's surprisingly high-pitched voice squeaked out the price. 'Not to be that bitch but honestly, Jae spoils you so much,' the blond whined and if Wonwoo didn't know him, he'd think he was jealous, almost. 'And that's exactly what my baby deserves,' humming, Soonyoung patted the younger on the head, a fond smile mapping his lips. 'Though now all my gifts I've ever given you make me look like some broke ass bitch, which I am.' The joke made Wonwoo giggle.

'I would've dumped your ass long ago if that were the case, but fortunately for you, I'm not a shallow hoe.'

'God bless,' Soonyoung preached, his eyes shining brightly. Face lit up like a Christmas tree, he hugged his best friend with a ferocious vigor. It had them stumbling on their feet and eventually, they'd ended up on the floor, with Soonyoung tackling Wonwoo. The room was soon filled with laughter as both friends started a tickle war.

  
*****

   
They arrived at the place before noon, the light, autumn breeze messing with Wonwoo's hair, making his bangs flop against his forehead. Soonyoung was getting his training bag from the back seat, kind of bummed after the news his bestie had dropped on him while still on the road.  
Wonwoo had taken another night shift because one of his colleagues had an urgency with her sickening child and they were painfully short of staff. And because Jeon Wonwoo was always a kind person, he'd taken her shift for her. _'It's extra money, Soon and I won't leave until I see your performance, don't worry,'_ he'd said as if to reassure him and Soonyoung nodded, though still a bit sad but he understood. Wonwoo was a responsible person living on his own, not relying on the money from his rich parents. Not many people were like that and Soonyoung admired him for it. So he put up a front, focusing on replying the steps of his choreography in his mind instead because he couldn't afford to fuck it up. Not when he spotted a van with a local TV logo. Of course reporters would be here, the guests were one of the most respected dancers in the industry. It didn't help Soonyoung to keep calm in the slightest but with Wonwoo and his cute boyfriend, Chan by his side, he'd pull it off and sweep the other dancers off his feet.

'Ready to blow shit up?' Wonwoo's amused voice asked, his hand squeezing Soonyoung's shoulder in a comforting manner. The latter grinned and flashed him a thumbs up, feeling the adrenaline rushing through his veins.

'Bitch, you bet.'

 

 

Once inside, as Soonyoung immediately went over to the register to pick his number, Wonwoo impatiently stood by the huge pillar, his heavy combat boots tapping soundly against the floor as he waited for his friend and also someone else. He'd texted Mingyu with the needed information, the bulge in his left front pocket still content with the silver bracelet. The younger had told him he was on the way, bringing his girlfriend along because, what a coincidence, her friend had been one of the contestants, too. Wonwoo was okay with that, it's not that they'd have time to chat anyway because there were so many people attending, kind of making it obvious that the competition would last all day.  
Wonwoo sighed, texting Mingyu with updates of the spot he'll be occupying as he was being led by Soonyoung through the corridor into the main hall. The place was huge, hopefully, Mingyu will be able to detect him in the sea of unknown people.

Roughly an hour before the event had started, a familiar figure of someone from the past entered Wonwoo's peripheral vision and recognizing the person in a flash, he'd unconsciously clutched the pouch of Capri Sun his friend had packed for him. There was no way it was him, Wonwoo shook his head in disbelief but a closer look at the guy making his way dangerously to the spot they occupied nearly got him into a state of shock. It took a glance at the pair of doe eyes, still as warm as he remembered and although the color of the guy's hair had been dyed a pitch black, quite a turn from the ash blond he was used to seeing, Wonwoo was sure it was _him_. Judging by the confidence in his walking and style of clothing, there was no mistake.

_Oh God._

'You didn't tell me Seungcheol is gonna be here, too,' Wonwoo hissed in a whisper. Soonyoung turned to him with an innocent smile.

'What? Oh, him. You didn't ask, though?'

'Did- did you actually ask him to come?' Wonwoo's voice got unusually higher when he asked, his friend's guilty but not really face being the positive answer.  
'I can't believe you, you traitor,' the younger whined unattractively, slouching his shoulders to make himself small so the other man wouldn't see him loitering around the auditorium. Getting spotted was the last thing he wanted. His heart wasn't ready for the encounter yet.

'Don't tell me you're still not over him?' There was a teasing tone prominent in Soonyoung's voice and Wonwoo had to physically restrain himself from strangling him on the spot.  
'I wish it'd worked out with you two, man. Too bad he prefers tits over dicks.' Soonyoung actually sounded disappointed, throwing a quick glance at his friend's reaction. 'I've heard he's pretty thick. He'd left you limping for _days_.'

A bit of Capri Sun was spit as soon as the remark had left Soonyoung's indecent mouth. Wonwoo tried so hard to fight the blush making its way on his cheeks but failed. He brought one of his sweater covered palms to hide the embarrassment instead. Jesus Christ, Soonyoung had to watch what he was saying, one day he could be found dead in a dump, strangled with Wonwoo's handprints over his throat.

'Stop.' Mumbling through the paw, Wonwoo smacked the blond on the arm with his free hand.

'You just imagined it, right?' A laugh. 'Can't blame you, I'd let him bang me, too.' Soonyoung was suggestively wiggling his eyebrows at him and never in his life Wonwoo wanted to actually become one with the ground.

'Could you like, uh, practice your choreo or something? I heard your God Taemin is one of the judges, you better give it your all and maybe your senpai will notice you,' he said teasingly, trying to change the subject of their conversation. Successfully, because as soon as Taemin's name came out, Soonyoung's eyes glistened brightly in the dim light the auditorium was filled with.

'You don't say,' the blond snorted as he glanced towards the stage. 'I'll go practice but after we greet our Cheol hyung, it _has_ been a long time since we've been together and ah- here he goes!' Soonyoung's arms flew into the air, giving Wonwoo no space to hide because, well, there was simply none. He could mingle with the crowd of people coming from the entrance but being pushed by unknown bodies had him feeling sick to his stomach. Although not quite ready for the encounter with the man, Wonwoo could do nothing than to come out of his hiding spot behind Soonyoung's back and lift his right hand in a weak greeting. His knees started to feel a bit like a jello when Seungcheol's eyes found his, lips stretching into the most genuine of smiles that used to send butterflies in his gut. Wonwoo nervously bit his lip, pulling the sleeves of his sweater down to cover his clammy hands. It was unfair that almost after two years of not seeing the man, he was still feeling like it was yesterday when they first met. The fast beating of his heart being the proof of that. Wonwoo hated how Seungcheol made him feel, even after those years. He hadn't tried to keep in touch with him for a reason.

 

Seungcheol was already in his third year when Wonwoo started going to college and with Soonyoung being the social butterfly, they'd become friends almost instantly. The senior with a playful personality had been the first one to actually push Wonwoo's defense down after the fiasco back in high school and he might've developed a slight crush. It was really bound to happen one day or another; with the way the older had softened around him almost immediately and doted on him like a father would on their child.  
Eventually, his crush had bloomed into something more; after one of their group's fun sessions which somewhat ended up with Wonwoo getting babied by Seungcheol as the younger sprained his ankle during a sudden football match in the park. He got a piggyback ride from the senior, his strong arms carrying him all the way to the campus. The nagging comments from Seungcheol went right through his ears as the younger was too immersed in snuggling into the warmth his senior had been emitting.

Since then, Wonwoo had been gathering up the courage to confess for _months_ (thanks to his cowardly heart) but then he'd witnessed- as he was forcefully dragged to a frat party, a hot make-out session between his crush and two other girls he didn't know. It had clicked then- of course someone like Seungcheol would be straight. They all were. Blame his stupid heart for always falling for someone he couldn't have.  
Wonwoo had run off crying like a little kid, shutting his feelings off once again.

As if it wasn't enough, another blow had come a few months later- just a few days until their summer break. With one year of education ahead, Seungcheol had to drop out of school because his father had fallen terribly ill and there was no one but him to take over the company. It was a sudden statement and as Wonwoo had been sitting in a cozy restaurant with him, the tears he thought would threaten to appear didn't come. Wonwoo nipped at his salad, face unreadable but eventually, he looked up and bit his lip when Seungcheol whispered a quiet _'sorry'_ , leaving him in the crowded room alone.  
Wonwoo didn't know why was he apologizing for when he was just doing the right thing for his family; only Soonyoung had told him later, after the last day spent together as a group, that Seungcheol knew of his crush all along. The apology must've been for the feelings he couldn't return back. Knowing the fact was pointless either way; Wonwoo's heart had been already broken.

 

'Hey, guys! Long time no see!'

Wonwoo snapped his eyes up so fast he almost lost his balance upon hearing that soft yet husky voice, as the black-haired man reached them. Soonyoung automatically went for a bone-crushing hug; his specialty but nowhere near bone-crushing-worthy as Mingyu's, making Seungcheol bark a laugh as his ribs were squeezed in a tight hold. But then he glanced over the blond's shoulder and Wonwoo noticed how his gaze softened, a very familiar situation he'd gone through before so many times. Even though he wanted to deny it, Seungcheol had gotten more handsome over the years. Leading a company at such a young age sure did add wrinkles to his forehead and put him through a lot of stress, judging by the prominent bags under his eyes but God, he still looked gorgeous, not making it easy for Wonwoo's blush to disappear. It had only deepened when a pair of strong arms wrapped around his shoulders, the hard muscles of the man's biceps lessening the strength in his knees.

 _Get a grip, Jeon,_ he reminded himself, _you have a boyfriend_.

'Wonu, my boy, it's been a while,' softly as a feather, Seungcheol muttered into his ear, caressing his back with an open palm. 'How's my baby doing?' It was a simple ask but Wonwoo felt like crying right now, not because he'd just reunited with a friend but because of him completely erasing the man from his life by not talking to him for years and never visiting him even though it was a well-known fact where he'd lived. Despite acting like a cold bitch towards his hyung, Seungcheol didn't seem to mind, he just looked really happy to see Wonwoo after such a long time.

'Cheol hyung,' the younger finally whimpered, voice small, choking back tears by burying his head in the other's shoulder, 'I'm sorry,' a bite of his lips, 'I'm sorry for not contacting you for so long, I'm so sorry, I was such a coward,' a strained sob got past his lips. He was being pulled closer to the man, the warmth of his hug acting like a blanket embracing his shaky body and Wonwoo sniffled when he heard Seungcheol whisper _'that's okay, I understand'_ , like the two year gap of separation never happened, his hands drawing circles on his back in a soothing manner. Soonyoung could only gawk and rub the tears off of the corners of his eyes.

'About time you reunited, bitches,' he cried out and hugged both his friends. Some people looked their way, shaking heads at the scene.

'Okay Won, stop crying, you'll smudge your eyeliner,' Seungcheol's hearty laugh broke the emotional sandwich, courtesy of Soonyoung and pulled a handkerchief out of his back pocket to wipe the threatening tears off. Wonwoo looked so cute, his lips pouty and eyes squeezed shut.

'He's right you know,' Soonyoung agreed, 'I don't wanna see you look ugly on my big day.' The remark earned him a slap on his head. Not from Wonwoo though.

'That was just rude, babe.' Chan, who had appeared out of nowhere, looked his boyfriend over, arms crossed over his chest. 'Learn to be more considerate, will you?' He sighed, sending apologetic look Wonwoo's way who waved him off with a tiny smile. Seungcheol, whose hand was still on Wonwoo's back giving him support, laughed at the lovers' quarrel unfold before his own eyes.

'I see he's still whipped for our resident baby,' he commented, watching Soonyoung nod vigorously while trying to apologize by showering his young lover with kisses. He succeeded.

'The feeling is mutual, as you can see,' Wonwoo pointed at the two, 'Chan can't stay mad at Soon for long.'

'Well, yeah, no one is immune to his aegyo, as much as annoying it is,' the older shrugged, smiling.

'Guess that makes us both guilty.' Wonwoo laughed alongside Seungcheol, the tension long gone from his body. It was nice, holding a conversation so casually, he'd actually forgotten how easy it was talking to the man. The light feeling in his head was still present, though. Maybe he was just weak.

'Nice choker, by the way.' Wonwoo blushed deep red when a pair of fingers brushed over the satin still around his neck.

'It was a present.'

'Yeah?'

'From my boyfriend.' The fingers exploring the material stopped for a moment. Until they continued lower, ghosting over the still reddened skin on his collarbone and Wonwoo froze in his spot, gulping because Seungcheol was so _close_. He could already feel his hands getting sweaty under the long sleeves.

'I assume those hickeys were a gift from your boyfriend as well,' the older man mused, eyes fixed on the pale skin before him. 'Soonyoung had told me you've got yourself one, about a month ago? He must really like you if he got you such an expensive gift.' Wonwoo couldn't quite put a finger on it but there was slight wariness lacing the older's voice when he said that. It almost looked like Seungcheol had switched into a dad mode. The look in his eyes when he took in the marks, half of them visible because of the cursed sweater and its low neckline (damn you, Soonyoung), had thrown Wonwoo off. His posture faltered, suddenly feeling small under those eyes scrutinizing him and without even noticing, he smacked Seungcheol's hand away. A raised brow from the other man was directed at him and his sudden act. It got Soonyoung's and Chan's attention as well. Upon realizing what he had just done, Wonwoo hung his head low, adjusting the collar of his sweater in silence. His cheeks burned hot out of embarrassment.  
Just when he tried to squeak out an apology, a call of his name got him to turn around at the voice. Mingyu. Ah, of course, the bracelet. He'd almost forgotten.

'Hyung!' Mingyu looked like a huge boulder had been lifted off of his shoulders, his face lightening up at the sight of Wonwoo, dressed in the tightest of clothes, all black and disturbingly hot. Wait-

The tall kid was making his way towards him, Wonwoo noticed his arm encircled around someone's waist, gluing them to his side. A short girl with dark, long hair, cute but the tight, leather dress she was wearing was anything but cute. She looked quite bored, her expression remaining stoic but the tight grip she had on Mingyu's arm gave her away. That must be the girlfriend. Quite possessive, too. Wonwoo applauded the younger for having a high tolerance to pain because the vice-like grip she had on him looked painful as hell.  
Wonwoo wasn't one of those people who judged others by the first glance but the girl kind of made it hard for him to keep a neutral impression. He was sure she had already made a decision of her own. It wasn't a positive one.

'You actually made it on time.' Teasing the brunet a little, Wonwoo smiled, ignoring the gaping fish on his left. Soonyoung couldn't help himself, apparently because his best friend didn't tell him the hot dude would show up at an event like this, looking all godly in leather and tight jeans.

'Yeah, well, didn't wanna miss it.' Mingyu rubbed the back of his neck, his other hand still holding at the tiny waist of his girlfriend. 'Dahyun's friend is performing here, too.' Soonyoung's ears perked up and he asked out loud, _'which friend?_ ', getting a surprised look from the girl.

'Hirai Momo, she's a senior at our Uni,' Dahyun replied anyway, not hiding her distaste at the tiny obnoxious hamster. A hum left the blond's lips as he nodded.

'Damn, I was hoping she'd miss the show, she's one of those people I don't really wannna go against,' he muttered under his breath but smiled, making Wonwoo soft all over again. 'Oh, I'm Soonyoung by the way!' As cheery as his voice could get, he exclaimed, extending his hand for the girl to shake. Her eyes widened a little but took the offered gesture.

'Dahyun.' Her answer was short and simple but Soonyoung brushed it off because after that he focused his stare at the tall guy who just smiled with his canines poking out.

'Hi, I'm Mingyu,' he shook the other boy's hand, firm, 'Dahyun is my girlfriend.' His cheeks were rosy pink when he said that and Soonyoung laughed whilst nodding.

'Yeah, that's kinda obvious, Sherlock,' he teased, gesturing to his hand still around the girl's waist. Mingyu rolled his eyes, embarrassed. He giggled though as Wonwoo jabbed his friend on his side, nagging at how rude he was being. The blond guy- Soonyoung clicked his tongue but immediately masked it behind a wide smile as he reached out to push another guy, smaller than him to the front, right beside him. Mingyu understood when he noticed how close those two were being.

'Hello, I'm Chan,' the smaller boy with a strawberry-blond coloured hair said, his eyes turning into crescents as he smiled and Mingyu's mind was screaming 'protect'.

'He's my boyfriend!' Soonyoung exclaimed loudly, kissing the other's cheek while squeezing him from the side.

'You guys are so _cute_ ,' Mingyu couldn't help but grin, unaware of the anxious shuffling beside him. Dahyun didn't say a word but her eyes seemed to dig daggers into Wonwoo's neck, where the pretty choker rested.

'Seungcheol. I'm pretty sure I'm the oldest here,' the next guy introduced himself, and strangely, as Mingyu shook hands with him, a streak of competitiveness had spurt between them at that moment. The black-haired man with big eyes had a very strong grip, his fingers crushing Mingyu's in the handshake. Nevertheless the pain, he gave a nod, withdrawing quickly because they might start fighting for no reason. Seungcheol's presence just seemed to have that effect on him. He could see the feeling was mutual.

'Mingyu already knows me but I'm Jeon Wonwoo, Jeongguk is my younger brother.' Dahyun's frown deepened when Wonwoo spoke of the quiet brunet who didn't seem quiet at all when he accused her of bullying his fianceé the other day. In front of people, no less. Though hesitant at first, she nodded as some sort of acknowledgment because Mingyu's smile widened uncharacteristically, his eyes not leaving Wonwoo. Her grip tightened around Mingyu's arm to let everyone know who he belonged to.

'Nice to meet you,' she said, voice flat. It was useless to pretend she was interested in knowing the little circle of new friends when it was obvious they weren't her cup of tea. Still, the excited puppy look Mingyu had been giving the skinny emo boy since their arrival was highly annoying. The guy wasn't even _that_ handsome. He was too feminine for her liking and submissive, judging by his timid behavior around the others. Also oddly thin and dressed in all black like he'd just come from a funeral. God, who dressed him? 

But then her eyes stopped at Wonwoo's neck, the designer satin choker with a diamond pendant clasped securely around the pale throat and she bit her lips out of envy. She had the thing in her wishlist for quite a while now but her boyfriend was stupid enough not to notice the lingering stares everytime they passed the jewelry.

'Where did you buy that choker? It's really pretty.' Her question seemed to catch Wonwoo off guard because his sharp eyes widened, fingers unconsciously flying up to cover the accessory. Dahyun wanted to utter a remark about the bright hickeys all over his neck but held back her tongue. Mingyu looked like he was about to ask about that, too. His eyes seemed to find the bright marks fascinating.

'Oh, that's-'

Wonwoo couldn't even finish when he was being cut off, courtesy of Soonyoung who answered for him with a grin. 'Apparently, it was a gift from his boyfriend for their first month anniversary.' Wonwoo blushed at that, lowering his head but nodded to confirm his friend's words.

'Well, at least someone's boyfriend isn't an oblivious puppy,' Dahyun muttered the words but it didn't get unnoticed by Mingyu as his face dropped significantly. She was getting back at him with the present he'd bought her for their own anniversary, which had been quite a different one she'd wanted, apparently, as he'd come to know that the only thing she wanted had been tied around Wonwoo's neck. Guessing the girl's needs was a puzzle for him sometimes.

'Don't be like that,' Mingyu whined, eyes pleading. The situation was getting embarrassing.

'I have the right to be, you know. I'm on my period,' Dahyun stated casually as if cramps were a legitimate reason for her to be rude to her own partner.

'Oh yeah, she totally is,' Soonyoung whispered but hid a snicker behind his hand, Wonwoo noticed. 'Look at her dress, it's shorter than the time I spend in the gym.'

Wonwoo furrowed his brows, turning to the blond questioningly. 'You don't go to the gym, though,' he whispered back, quickly averting his eyes from the hem of the leather dress Dahyun was wearing. Admittedly, Soonyoung wasn't wrong- the dress might've been a bit too short for anyone to wear to an event like this but he shouldn't mingle in other people's business. Mingyu, however, looked so dejected, the sadness evident from a meter radius that separated them; Wonwoo almost reached out and ruffled his hair but then he noticed skinny arms clinging to Mingyu; the long, manicured nails clawing into the leather material of his jacket and he quickly shook off the thought. It was inappropriate.

Tugging at Mingyu's arm to lower his head, Dahyun whispered, 'by the way, oppa, you didn't tell me Jeongguk's brother is a fag,' unfortunately loud enough for everyone to hear. The remark felt like a blow to Wonwoo's face; it's been a while since he was called names- all the bad memories from high school had floated on the surface and he shuddered, trying to push back the thoughts. Soonyoung clenched his fist but sealed his mouth shut as his boyfriend shook his head, silently urging him to not interfere.  
Mingyu noticed the quiver of Wonwoo's lips and started to panic. He didn't know Dahyun would react like that, especially when the guy did nothing wrong.

'Babe, you shouldn't say that, it's rude,' he said in a quiet voice to her, cupping her cheeks but the girl smacked his hands away, rolling her eyes as she muttered, _'whatever, I'm going to greet Tzuyu,'_ pointing towards a tall girl that had just entered the auditorium. _'I'll sit next to her so you go and have fun with your friends,'_ she added, loosening her grip on the boy's arm. Acting like that had been quite a usual routine for them these days. Whenever there was a trace of Dahyun's friend, she'd automatically turn her attention to them, leaving her boyfriend to have fun all by himself. It made him feel like an abandoned puppy.  
Mingyu sighed, not really wanting to start a fight with his girlfriend in front of Wonwoo and nodded, taking his jacket off in the process to wrap it around her naked shoulders. Even though Dahyun looked upset, she blushed at the gesture. Without sparing a glance at the four guys before her, she walked off, leaving the tense aura along the way.

'Wow, what a gentleman,' Soonyoung cooed at the action, causing the taller boy sheepishly rub the back of his neck, fidgeting. The praise worked wonders to Mingyu's ears.

'Yeah, he actually has manners, unlike someone.' Wonwoo wasn't really subtle with the glance he threw at his best friend. 'Better step up your game or Chan might drop your ass for someone like him.' The horrified look flashing across Soonyoung's face as he said that, set Chan into a fit of cute giggles. Mingyu stood there dumbfounded but with a smile nonetheless, seemingly amused by the bickering of Wonwoo's friends. He found the whole scene endearing, the guys were quite a lousy bunch; Mingyu thanked the God he was able to witness Wonwoo's quirky side before he died. Once again, he'd found himself coo at the older boy, his cute little stunts he was pulling at his blond friend making his lips stretch into a smile. And when a sight of Wonwoo grinning, his nose scrunching up in amusement at something one of his friends said invaded his vision, the burning sensation of butterflies filling in his gut intensified and Mingyu had instantly thought of a single word.

_Adorable._

Wonwoo was so, so adorable.

'He wouldn't do that, right?' Soonyoung shifted his eyes nervously from Chan to Mingyu, frowning when his little boyfriend just hummed- with no clear answer. The sheer panic plastered on the blond's face as he was being lured into the trap his best friend had set up, made Seungcheol actually pity the boy and he stepped in.

'Calm down, Soonie, he's just toying with you,' he pulled Wonwoo into a head-lock, grinning when he was met with a cute wailing of protest, 'right, Wonu-ya?'

'Not my fault Soon takes everything seriously,' Wonwoo pouted, successfully wiggling out of his hyung's hold. 'Anyway, Mingyu?' He looked up at the taller boy who just stood there alone, eyes darting over the crowd to check on his girlfriend. She was in the middle of a conversation, his jacket still hugging her shoulders. 'What's that in your hand?' The plastic box clutched between his fingers came to the picture and looking down at it, Mingyu nodded, handing the box over to a very surprised Wonwoo.

'Oh! Um- it's a little gift for all the things you did for me,' the blush seemed to spread over his whole face as the temperature grown hot out of the blue. 'It's pasta, my specialty,' he grinned sheepishly when Wonwoo opened the tiny box, eyes wide. The food smelled delicious. It was pretty evident the younger was a good cook. Wonwoo's heart melted a little at the gesture, only Soonyoung's lousy _'aww'_ ruining it for him.

'I'm sure it tastes just as it looks. I'll eat it at work. Thank you.' Wonwoo smiled, genuine, securing the box in his hold, away from Soonyoung's hungry stare. He didn't notice the tension between Seungcheol and Mingyu intoxicating the air around them like an invisible cloak.

Sensing the bad vibes around the two, Chan butted in with a soft voice. 'Not to sound rude but is Dahyun homophobic?' The scandalized look that flashed across his boyfriend's face as he asked, made Wonwoo actually look up at Mingyu whose shoulders tensed up.

'I- I don't think so? I mean, she's just not used to seeing gay people showing affection in public. She comes from a very strict family,' Mingyu apologized on her behalf, glancing briefly at Dahyun who seemed to have a very heated conversation with her friend.  
'I'm sorry if she offended you,' his words were still apologetic, 'I'm sure she didn't really mean that.'

Wonwoo couldn't believe how kind and gullible the kid was.

Soonyoung let out a whistle. 'Not only you look fucking hot, you also don't have your head stuck in your ass. What a man.' Wonwoo reminded the blond to watch his language but it got swiftly brushed off as the older continued, shamelessly, 'I thought rich guys were all the same, cocky and fucking disrespectful to us normal folks,' he grinned, missing out as both Seungcheol and Wonwoo gasped in unison, feigning offense.

'Wow, that was rude as hell,' Seungcheol shook his head in disbelief, 'and to think you were one of my favorite dongsaengs-'

'After all this time when I fed you food, did assignments with you _and_ fucking took care of your drunkard ass after parties,' Wonwoo inhaled in a sharp breath, 'I haven't done all this just to be called cocky and disrespectful, you dick!' He smacked Soonyoung on the arm, faking a pout. 'That's it, you're not my bestie anymore.'

'No! I didn't mean it like that! You guys are the only exception, I swear on my mom's cookies!' The blond whined, hopping in a desperate attempt to soothe the faked reactions from his friends. The scene was honestly so hilarious Mingyu had to actually take a moment to keep his giggles down.  
'You guys know I love you, right?' Soonyoung cried out, wailing to the point Chan had to interrupt and calm the situation a notch down. Too many pairs of eyes were looking their way.

'Okay, that's enough,' the youngest's voice cut the noise, 'stop torturing him, you two,' he wiped the amusing looks on Seungcheol's and Wonwoo's faces off. 'And you,' Chan poked his boyfriend on his forehead, 'stop being such a baby, okay? You should get ready for the stage, there won't be much time after things get going. You don't wanna fuck it up in front of Taemin, do you?' A shake of his head no.  
'Good,' Chan nodded, kissing the blond on the lips now, and suddenly, like a flash of a lighter, Soonyoung's mood went up instantly, drawing the widest of smiles on his face. Wonwoo swore he felt his heart swell at the scene; Chan was honestly a match made in Heaven for Soonyoung. Being able to calm him and place back on track with just a simple gesture, it was something only he could do. Their relationship was that serious. Wonwoo had never doubted Soonyoung's feelings towards the younger boy, he was loyal to the bone. Possibly, if things went further with Jaehyun, Wonwoo wished that one day they could be like that, too.  
With a final kiss, now planted onto his cheek, Soonyoung abruptly lifted his arm in the air, bidding his friends goodbye, before storming off to the backstage, fingers clutching tightly on his training bag.

'Well, I guess we should go, too since I'm in charge of the camera, I gotta find the best seat.' Seungcheol waved with his phone and the other three nodded in agreement. There was still one thing left to do, though. Wonwoo had remembered as he looked over at Mingyu, who had been playing with his fingers anxiously. He rubbed his wrist awkwardly, glancing at Wonwoo with desperate eyes and the latter understood.

Patting Chan and Seungcheol on their shoulders, he said, 'you guys go ahead and hold a seat for us,' gesturing to him and Mingyu. He ignored the raised brow from the eldest, turning his attention to the tall kid. Nonetheless, Chan assured him with a smile, nudging Seungcheol to his side to stop burning holes on Mingyu's forehead. As they walked off, Wonwoo poked Mingyu on the shoulder and led him to a place in the very corner of the auditorium, far enough from Dahyun's prying eyes.

'Did you bring it?' The younger's voice fell into a whisper when he asked. To innocent eyes it might've looked like a drug deal was being made; the sheer nervousness visible on Mingyu's face as he bit his lip, rubbing his sweat-covered hands on his pants and Wonwoo actually had to suppress a laugh at how hilarious it sounded.  
Stuffing his hands into his front pocket, he slowly pulled out the shiny silvery thing, the instant brightness coming from Mingyu as he recognized his bracelet blinding Wonwoo for a brief moment. He should've brought his glasses, he mused as he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.  
The sigh Mingyu let out when the bracelet was being tied around his left wrist was loud enough it caught some people's attention. He ignored the curious stares and without warning, his arms sprung out, pulling the smaller body of his friend into a bear hug.

'God, thank you so much,' he whispered, overjoyed, cheek rubbing against Wonwoo's soft, fluffy hair. Oblivious of the heat overcoming the latter's body as his lungs were being squeezed, Mingyu tightened his hold, mumbling grateful words into the reddened ear. The looks from the passing people were the least of his concern. The constant patting on his back growing in strength as Wonwoo fought for the air, however, made Mingyu realize he was being too overwhelming and with apologetic eyes loosened his hold. It wasn't his fault Wonwoo was too cute not to squish. He held his tongue though. The thought was weird for him to even acknowledge. It kept lingering through his mind, still.

'Next time, check if you have everything before you leave someone's apartment,' Wonwoo reminded, the redness on Mingyu's face matching his own.

'Yes, sir.' He laughed when the taller boy saluted, grinning.

'Okay, good. Now that's settled, shall we go back?' Wonwoo pointed over his shoulder where the guys seemed to have found good seats and Mingyu, after adjusting his bracelet under the long sleeve nodded, placing a hand on the small of Wonwoo's back as he led him towards their row. The bold act had the older boy blushing, the bright hue gracing his cheeks deepening in color when the fingers accidentally lingered a bit lower. He wasn't courageous enough to push the other away because the gesture reminded him so much of Jaehyun and Wonwoo allowed himself to be selfish for once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the slow story progress, next chapter should be more interesting.


	6. Six.

Honestly, Mingyu just wanted to take his forgotten bracelet back but somehow ended up forging new friendships along the way. A nice bonus that made the trip to Gangnam all the more interesting. And to think he'd started the day with upsetting his girlfriend which got him in a foul mood, washed off of him in an instant as he was exchanging numbers with Chan who was kind enough to include his overly cheery boyfriend's number, too. He also got one from that Seungcheol guy, out of politeness he guessed because it was just a sure thing to do the same and Wonwoo would suspect something fishy if they showed any hesitation in front of his eyes. The little smile brightening the older's face as he watched Mingyu get along with his friends was worth it. And really, Mingyu enjoyed the conversation between the four of them, learning bit by bit the things about Wonwoo's friends. It was a good experience, getting to know the people close to him. Even though Soonyoung wasn't there with them because he had to prepare for his stage, Mingyu had decided that befriending the guys was a good thing. It was sort of an accomplishment because that way he was getting closer to Wonwoo as well. If he managed to leave a good impression, his points would rise up a nice amount. He was sure after the smiley face Wonwoo had rewarded him with. Mingyu could never get tired of that beautiful smile. Strangely, it set him at ease. Like the problems in his rocky relationship disappeared one by one.  
A quick look at the few rows below his own where his girlfriend kept gossiping with a friend made Mingyu sigh. When had it gone downhill? He wondered. All the rainbows and unicorns he felt at the beginning of their relationship seemed to wash off over the time. The more they spend time together, the more Mingyu felt like he was in this thing they had alone. The cute, flowery girl he'd met at Jaehyun's birthday party was replaced by a woman slowly taking over his life; changing and twisting it to her liking. Having the last say about what he should and shouldn't wear was a perfect example. Who was she, his mother? No, thank you. One was enough.  
There were also a few minor things Dahyun had done that Mingyu had resented and wasn't fond of but voicing his concerns or God forbid, critiques at some of her choices were out of the question. He was taught to treat his partner with respect and he was sure as hell that's what he'd been doing these past months but he'd expected his efforts would be returned back. It seemed that Dahyun had a bit different view about relationships. Maybe it was the conservative household she'd been raised in or her influential dominant mother, Mingyu wasn't sure. However, he was getting tired of being the only one serious and committing in this relationship. He'd been trying to patch up the holes but if Dahyun couldn't help him with that, Mingyu wasn't sure if staying by her side would be meaningful. Even though the sexual aspect of their relationship had been more than satisfying (Dahyun hadn't complained about it- one thing he'd done right at least), he wasn't that type of guy who dated purely for the sexual attraction he felt towards his partner. When Mingyu committed to someone, he involved both his body and soul. He wasn't half-assing things and relationships for that matter. Maybe, he mused, the girl wasn't the right one for him. Still, as naive as it sounded, he believed they could make this work if they talked this out a bit more.

'Hey.' A soft, velvety voice whispered in his ear and Mingyu winced, waking from his reverie as a lithe finger gently tugged at the sleeve of his shirt. Wonwoo had really cute manners, immediately pulling a smile on Mingyu's lips.

'Yeah? What's up?'

'Um, you probably haven't noticed but your thigh has been vibrating for a while now,' Mingyu was sure the other guys seated next to Wonwoo low key tried to hide a snicker at that. Jerks. It was true though; the nagging buzzing of his phone was interrupting other people's conversations, it seemed.

'Oh, you're right,' he nodded, sliding a hand into the front pocket of his jeans, face twisting into a frown at the notifications from no other than his girlfriend. She had texted to inform him quite sparsely that she won't be coming back home with him after the event, that Tzuyu had invited her for a pajama party at her and Momo's apartment. Of course. Mingyu's frown deepened, not really satisfied with the way he was being treated, abandoned again. Wonwoo must've noticed something weird in his acting because he asked, softly as ever.

'You okay? Something came up or-' He left the words hanging on his tongue for Mingyu to continue with an answer if possible, his fingers still cutely clutching at the sleeve's end, holding Mingyu's attention on him.

'I, uh-' he ran a hand through his hair, shifting his eyes from the phone back to Wonwoo, 'nothing really, Dahyun just wants to spend some time with her friends overnight, so turns out I'll be going back home alone.' He didn't want it to sound so broken but his lips quivered at the last part and Wonwoo clearly noticed that, loosening his grip at the sleeve to actually caress the skin on the back of Mingyu's hand, comforting.

'Are you okay with this?' The older was careful when he asked, backing away as Mingyu shifted in his seat, the grip he had the phone captured in tightening dangerously. The younger seemed like he held a lot of power, Wonwoo swore he saw the corner of the blank phone screen crack a little.

'Why shouldn't I? It's not like I'm not used to it,' he shrugged, surprised at how lax his voice sounded and put the phone back inside the pocket. He'd replied Dahyun like always, with faked kissy emojis so she wouldn't have to turn around and see his disappointed face. Mingyu was fed up with the typical roll of her eyes. 'I trust her and her friends. It's okay.'  
He didn't notice the sympathetic look on Wonwoo's face as he nodded, acutely aware of the sourness in his words. He didn't comment on it, turning his attention back to the stage because the show had just started.

  
  
The mood was quiet except for the loud music coming from the speakers and the rolling of the TV cameras as the performances were being recorded. Mingyu applauded everyone's solos, watching carefully from the distance between the stage and his seat. At some point, he'd found his gaze wander to his side, to check on Wonwoo as if it was something he _had_ to do, smiling as the older had his eyes glued to the front, hands squished between his thighs. The bright love bites painting his neck were barely visible because of the dim light in the auditorium but they still held onto Mingyu's attention, like that toy you drooled over in the glassed window of the toy shop as a kid. They must've been left just recently, he thought, quickly averting his eyes to not get caught. Wonwoo's boyfriend must be a keeper. Or a show-off. Mingyu snorted but hid it behind his hand, ashamed of himself. His stares went unnoticed, fortunately as Wonwoo had been very immersed in the show, only the gleam in his eyes changing slightly when Soonyoung had stepped foot on the stage.  
The next three minutes were kind of a blur for Mingyu; he didn't get much of the blond's performance because the look on Wonwoo's face kept him busy. The proud smile was present for the whole time, transforming into the widest of grins Mingyu had ever seen, Wonwoo's sharp teeth glowing like little pearls, blinding. Soonyoung must've blasted the stage because the three friends ended up whistling and shouting his name like moms on their kids' sports day. Too bad Mingyu wasn't capable to witness his dancing because all he could see was the most gorgeous smile of a guy he'd known for roughly a _week_. How unbelievable was that? No, it was more like ridiculous, Mingyu corrected himself because the tug of his heart every time Wonwoo's smile reached his eyes, was a reaction when a person he liked did something cute or just _anything_.  
Shaking his head abruptly, Mingyu tore his eyes off of the squealing adorable guy seated next to him, fisting the front of his shirt. _No_ , Mingyu had told himself, _you haven't just developed a crush_. However strong his disbelief might be, it was pointless to resist the truth when Wonwoo's little adorable-self kept on hopping in his seat like a bunny, finger pointing at the now bowing Soonyoung, whispering, _'that's my best friend you guys!'_ in that high-pitched, excited voice. It took a glance beside him and Mingyu knew he was done for. Well, screwed might be a better word.

'Fuck,' Mingyu breathed out, slapping his cheeks because all the feelings couldn't be real. His brain must be playing tricks on him or something; he couldn't possibly like a guy because he was straight and had a damn girlfriend. Yeah. He was into boobs and soft, long hair, curvy hips, and round butts and _cuties with a nice smile and deep voice..._ Wait- that's not how it was supposed to be. Confused as hell, Mingyu took a cautious look at Wonwoo who calmed down in his seat, wearing the fondest smile on his lips. They were strangely kitten-shaped, plush and cherry red, Mingyu had noticed. His heart must've noticed that too because it suddenly started to beat really fast, thumping against his ribcage. It got only worse when Wonwoo turned to him, smiling as he asked, _'did you see that? Soonyoung owned the stage! That's my bestie for you!'_ , finger pointing towards the stage excitedly. And in that exact moment, with a pounding heart and a mess of a brain, Mingyu was sure as hell that the little man crush was real and not going away any time soon, whether he liked it or not.

Good God.

Shifting in his seat a little, Mingyu smiled back, brushing his clammy hands on his jeans. 'Yeah, he was awesome.' He lied but for an entirely different reason. Soonyoung did amazing, no doubt about that but he couldn't tell Wonwoo he wasn't really watching because his eyes kept on staring at _him_. A little lie won't hurt anybody, right? Mingyu wasn't a good liar per se but Wonwoo had seemed to take the bait because his smile never faltered. Until a few minutes later as the MC for the show announced a break. Wonwoo suddenly stood up from his seat, saying that he'll be going because he had a night shift in an hour. Mingyu wasn't listening to the small talk Seungcheol made with him, he was too focused on watching closely Wonwoo's body language with squinted eyes, still in denial.

'Are you gonna stay 'til the end?' Wonwoo's voice brought him back and dazed, Mingyu nodded.

'Wonu-ya, you drove Soonyoung here, right? Do the guys have a way to get back at the dorms?' It was Seungcheol who asked, and Mingyu's ears perked up as Chan smiled timidly. A worried look was thrown his way, Wonwoo nibbled at his lip when the youngest shook his head.

'Don't worry, hyung. There's a bus station nearby. We'll manage.' Reassuring as best as he could, Chan patted the older on his arm but Wonwoo's brows were still knitted together in worry.

'I'll take them home.' Now, that was something Mingyu had said on a whim since there was no point of driving someone who lived on the other side of the city but if it meant he could make Jeon Wonwoo get rid of the burden to worry about his friends' safety, then he'd do it many times over again.

'Are you sure? It's quite a long turn,' Chan sounded worried like he was being a bother but Mingyu waved him off and gave him a thumbs up.

'It's cool, man.' The look of gratitude he got from Wonwoo made a smile appear on Mingyu's lips. Goddammit, he cursed, could this guy stop being beautiful for a moment?

'Thank you,' the older boy squeezed his hands in his before eventually turning away, bidding his friends- Mingyu included- goodbye, the lunchbox with his pasta secured in his hand. Mingyu watched him disappear through the line of unknown bodies, right away to the exit. Wonwoo looked so tiny, squeezing himself through the crowd, not making it any easier for the unwanted feelings Mingyu had somehow developed for him to fucking disappear. Why was he so cute? He asked inwardly, brows knitted together as he kept on thinking. God was testing him and he wasn't even religious.  
Arms crossed over his chest and getting swallowed by his own thoughts, Mingyu had spent the remaining hour and a half in his seat, not paying attention to the last performances.

  
  
Soonyoung looked really tired after he'd rejoined the group consisting now of Mingyu and Chan since Seungcheol left for some business reasons (Mingyu might've not liked the guy that much but he was aware that company meetings were important to attend, especially when you were a CEO). His face turned a whole ninety degree when he found out Mingyu had offered to take them back home, saying words of gratitude that the younger dismissed with a smile.

'It's the least I can do,' he assured him, trying to keep a happy face, still a bit sour after Dahyun had left with Momo and Tzuyu, not bothering to even kiss him goodbye. She had kept his jacket, even; not that it mattered, but a word or just a text would do.

'Honestly, your chick doesn't deserve you.' Soonyoung got smacked for that insensitive remark from Chan but Mingyu could care less because well, he started to feel the same.

  
  
The apartment was dark and quiet when Mingyu got finally home; his body going through the pitch black abyss like it was nothing. Somehow, his legs led him towards the kitchen until he ended up in front of his fridge, too big and spacious for one guy and he let his hand reach out to the highest of cupboards, taking out a bottle of vodka. Getting drunk wasn't his plan for the rest of the night but after that cruel stunt Dahyun had pulled, Mingyu didn't hesitate one bit when he opened the cap, bringing the bottle to his lips. The alcohol seemed like it could make his problems go away, to help him forget all the bad things happening in his life. Soon, one sip turned into a whole gulp until the rest of it went past Mingyu's lips, burning his throat. It felt good, the sensation making his brain dull and suddenly he was feeling light, ridden off of his burdens and fears. Like a newborn child.

Mingyu got drunk that night, not making it to his bedroom because his legs decided to betray him and giddy, he ended up on his couch, the empty bottle crashing against the wooden floor as his balance faltered. A giggle at the loud sound was the only thing he could muster as of that moment, his eyes slowly closing off from the tiredness and the weight of alcohol filling in his system.

  
*****

  
Waking to a blinding light with a major hungover wasn't part of Mingyu's plan, either. No can do though. He brought that upon himself. At least the alcohol helped clear his mind. It couldn't be said as much about his head. The throbbing wouldn't stop.  
Shifting from the uncomfortable position Mingyu had fallen asleep in after his drunk session, he dared to open his eyes, quickly closing them shut because the annoying sun rays were like bullets shooting through his skull.

'Ugh.' Mingyu groaned in pain, placing an arm over his face, not really keen on sitting up and sleep the aching of his body away in a proper bed. There was a sound of someone near the couch sighing, which could be anyone- Mingyu prayed to God it wasn't Jaehyun- but who exactly was evident when they decided to speak out loud.

'I'd say good morning to you but it's already afternoon.' The voice was soft and melodic, letting Mingyu guess the identity of the visitor quite easily. 'Did you have a self-pity party yesterday or what?' Yeah, that was definitely Yeri.

'Something like that.' Mingyu pinched the bridge of his nose. He was still laying on the couch, not moving an inch because the headache was damn unbearable.

'Don't tell me a bottle got you that wasted,' Yeri shook her head in disbelief, carefully picking up shattered glass from the floor. 'You always had high tolerance to alcohol, what happened?'

'I'm getting old, is all,' Mingyu shrugged, turning on his back as much as the tight space of his couch allowed him to, his arm still covering his face. The sunny weather peeking inside the living room was blinding, worsening the massive hungover he'd woken up to. Mingyu felt like a truck ran him over.

'You're _nineteen_ ,' the girl rolled her eyes as she finished picking up the glass and went to the kitchen to throw it in the trash bin.

'Yeah, doesn't really feel like it right now.' Groaning, Mingyu sat up, massaging his temples. The headaches were always the worst in the mornings but that was a small price for getting rid of all his problems if just for a while.  
'How did you even get here?' He asked, watching Yeri pour water in the kettle through half-lidded eyes.

'You gave me your passcode, dummy,' she stated the obvious, not even looking from the island as she prepared a hot cup of something he prayed to God was a coffee. Mingyu laughed at her answer, or rather at himself because he asked a stupid question.

'Must've slipped my mind.'

'Obviously. Now, get yourself cleaned up, you look like a mess.' Mingyu didn't have to lift his head to know Yeri was holding that scoffing look on her face. 'You can't go in public looking like a junkie, so make yourself look presentable. You can do that, right?' She wasn't expecting a word of protest because she knew Mingyu wouldn't do that to her.

'Yeah? But what for, exactly?'

'We're going shopping.' Now Mingyu understood why was his cousin trespassing into his flat that early. The clock hung on the wall would disagree, though. In his hungover state, one in the afternoon still felt like nine in the morning.  
'There's a season sale in the mall and since Jeongguk and I decided to visit auntie and tell her about you-know-what this evening, I have to look at least as best as possible. That way she might take the news more calmly.' Yeri sounded confident, the most Mingyu had ever seen, actually and it just made a tear prick at his eyes. She was growing up so fast.

'Do I have to go?' Whiny, he slouched his shoulders, quickly peeking into the cup and its contents, humming as he realized Yeri was making him coffee. A strong one. God bless this girl.

'You don't want to? Should I ask Jeongguk instead?' Mingyu thought for a moment. Letting the kid go shopping with his cousin meant he'd see her pick cute clothes and God forbid, see her _changing_ into them and Mingyu wasn't ready for that to happen. Not yet and not anytime soon. Guys his age were still in hormonal war with their bodies and being the protective one in the family, Mingyu feared what might happen if he let Jeongguk have that much on his hands. He'd promised he'd cease his protectiveness down a bit but he wasn't on that level yet.

'No, no, there's no need. I'll come with you.' Mingyu got a light peck on his cheeks from Yeri and smiling, he went to the bathroom.

  
  
Two cups of coffee and a painkiller to ease the headache later, Mingyu was ready to go, wherever his adorable cousin planned on dragging him. The sunny weather outside made Mingyu reconsider his plan of just putting a hoodie over his head and go, and actually do a thorough inspection of his closet. It was easier with Yeri's help and within ten minutes, a couple of clothes he had no idea of ever owning was thrown at his hands. With a bit of complaining from Yeri's side of not finding anything relatively cute, Mingyu changed himself into the white long sleeve shirt with a dangerously low v-neck cut and a pair of equally as white skinny jeans. If his cousin tried to make him into a cute fluffy guy, that was not the way to do it. It wasn't possible when the majority of his closet consisted of neutral colors with only a few exceptions that were his underwear and some plain shirts for practice. He'd like to brighten the gloomy inside of the closet, trust him, but Dahyun only wanted him to look hot and desirable and pink sweaters or leopard printed dress shirts were not exactly things she'd want to see on her boyfriend. Chic and sexy was more of her style. Cute just wasn't on the menu and Mingyu had to adjust to that if he didn't want to deal with an upset girlfriend. Their relationship was more than rocky already, he didn't need to pour more oil into the fire.  
Yeri helped him style his hair, cursing silently at a stray hair sticking out in unacceptable direction before she decided to shrug it off and leave it here. Mingyu was laughing his ass off during her vehement trying of taming his hair but got quickly grounded by the girl's pointed glare. What more was left for him to do than to put his hands up in defeat, swallowing down the inappropriate giggles.

'Okay, funny guy,' she finally snapped, 'you tame the wild nest on your head yourself. I did my best to make you look as soft as possible because you always go around in those 'sexy' outfits Dahyun makes you wear and it was honestly getting on my nerves. I'm mad white is the only bright color your closet has to offer. You should totally consider buying new stuff.' Sighing, Yeri fixed the hem of Mingyu's shirt, straightening the wrinkles. It was cute of her to worry about him and Mingyu wanted so bad to retort back that Dahyun would grill him if she saw him wearing anything relatively colorful but then again- Yeri didn't need any more wrinkles on her forehead. So he just shrugged, not giving any clear answer and went to the bathroom to style his hair. At least the stray one creating havoc up there.

  
  
Agreeing to accompany his cousin to the mall must've been one of Mingyu's worse decisions as Yeri kept on dragging him to shops he'd already lost count of, spending too much time in each section just to end up frowning because the shop didn't offer anything she'd like. It was kind of a big change; Yeri was never that self-conscious of what she was wearing- her closet had been a mess going from cute dresses and skirts to goth shirts with weird prints on the front. But ever since she'd started getting close with Jeongguk, her lazy attitude towards buying new clothes turned a whole degree. Yeri would stop at every section, going through an ocean of clothes of different color and hue, her brows knitted together as she was thinking of the right one to choose. Mingyu was just staying nearby, arms full of bags from other shops, feeling a vein popping on his forehead. Normally, he'd enjoy roaming through the big ass mall and even help Yeri with choosing her outfits but the coffees he'd consumed before driving here weren't able to get him out of his hungover state fully. His head was still throbbing, and the annoying bright lights in the shop were not helping the sharp pain behind his eyeballs, either. Add a giggly bunch of random girls staring uncomfortably long at him to worsen his headache and voila. Mingyu honest to God wanted to get out and just wait for his cousin to do her shopping. Outside. Preferably with another coffee in hand. Curse him for being too nice and thick-headed.

Almost half an hour passed. They were still in the same shop with Yeri picking up clothes and Mingyu trying to ignore dreamy looks from other girls. He'd decided that he needed some fresh air, away from the suffocating lights and hungry stares at his goddamn chest (those girls really had no shame) so he looked for the exit when his eyes landed on a figure of someone all too familiar. Mingyu was proud of his perfect eyesight so he could tell with a hundred percent accuracy that the person who just disappeared into one of the cute shops on the other side of the escalators was none other than Jeon Wonwoo. In glasses. Wearing a fucking dungaree shorts.

Not hesitating a second, Mingyu whistled at Yeri which earned him a nasty glare before pointing out at the shop he saw the cute guy enter. He'd told her she'd find him there and the immediate gleam in her eyes as she glanced briefly through the glassed window at the apparel shop made Mingyu roll his eyes. She nodded, shouting at him from behind to buy something pastel cute but Mingyu wasn't going there for clothes. Cute, yes. But definitely not clothes.

Entering the supposedly newly opened shop would've been a whole new experience for Mingyu; on some other day at least, but his main objective now was to say hi to the most adorable of guys who certainly wasn't his crush. Nope. Not at all.  
With a goal set in his mind, he kept roaming around the place, an upbeat song playing from the speakers, Mingyu let his eyes wander around, searching for that cute mop of inky hair, too fluffy not to touch but a glimpse of a pair of sickly thin, milky legs would do, too. He'd find the guy either way. The shop wasn't endless, anyway.  
The fact that it took him a good ten minutes was unexpected, still. It was when Mingyu turned a certain aisle of perfectly folded knitted sweaters when he spotted Wonwoo heading straight for the changing rooms, gesturing wildly to someone at the coat section in the very far corner. Soonyoung, maybe? Mingyu wasn't sure but thought it wouldn't seem creepy of him to follow after the older into the tiny room. No, totally not creepy. Yeah.

Bags hanging on his arms like some sort of tentacles, Mingyu walked over to the changing rooms in quiet steps, looking down to check if he chose the right door, just in case. Scaring a random person out of their wits would be really embarrassing.  
Not trying to be invasive and appear like a molester, he took a deep breath, ready to knock on the door he thought seemed like the right one.  
A soft yet deep voice reached his ears, making his fist lower down. The sound was very clear and familiar.

_Bingo._

Mingyu patted himself on the back. He had either senses of a God or luck was on his side that day.

Whatever.

'Soonyoung, I don't know which one I should get,' Wonwoo's voice cried out from the changing room, 'I feel like the green one-' The door had opened abruptly, blessing Mingyu with a sight of Wonwoo in a green crop top with a cute kitten print, the same shirt of different color clutched in his hand. The top barely reached his navel and if Mingyu had no shame he'd have a clear view of the boy's flat stomach and the fading bruises left on his sides.

'What about you get both?' Mingyu grinned as he eyed the top, careful of keeping it appropriate and not looking lower. It was hard to keep his eyes up. The naked skin of Wonwoo's flat stomach was tempting. The older boy nearly screeched, disappearing inside the changing room in a flash as he recognized the person who clearly wasn't Soonyoung.  
'Why are you so shy now, I thought we're friends?' Mingyu asked with a wide smile, head peeking from above the closed door as he stood up on his toes. Wonwoo cursed at him for being too tall and covered his front with another piece of clothing, his back turned to Mingyu.

'What are you doing here, where's Soonyoung?' He asked, ears bright red. Mingyu beamed at the sight; thank God there was a full-body mirror placed strategically for him to see the reflection of Wonwoo's freaked out expression.

_So cute._

'I saw you enter the shop and wanted to say hi, not in a creepy way I swear, dunno where your friend had left off, though,' shrugging, he replied.

'Are you stalking me?' The other finally turned around to face him, to half of Mingyu's face at least and frowned, hugging the shirt close to him. A horrified gasp from outside the changing room was heard as Mingyu adamantly shook his head no.

'God, no, nothing like that! Actually, I'm here with Yeri, she's somewhere here picking clothes. I'm not a stalker, okay? My parents raised me well!' Mingyu cried out, head peeking from above shyly. It wasn't his intention to come off as a pervert; the small unconscious piece in the back of his mind would disagree though. There were a few inappropriate bits of thoughts about Wonwoo in that crop top floating around but right now, they were still well hidden for Mingyu to acknowledge them. He wasn't that deep in this gay crush yet. Though he might be slowly getting in deeper than he wanted to.

'Yeah, that's kinda hard to believe now when your eyes are glued on me,' Wonwoo scoffed, a brow raised in annoyance, cheeks flushed adorably pink. 'I just want to change into these cute shirts but you're making it hard for me to do that, you know?' A slender hand gestured upward at him and Mingyu honest to God pouted, sad that he couldn't see what level of cute Wonwoo was talking about. For him, it didn't really seem weird watching his dude friends change into clothes; heck, he sees that every day before and after practice. But Wonwoo was literally the shyest person he'd ever met. The guy valued his privacy and Mingyu had to respect that and act upon it. So he withdrew, getting down on the ground, his head now leveled with the cabin's height. A soft _'thank you'_ was heard from inside the tiny room and it sent a tingling sensation down Mingyu's spine. He'd come to like when Wonwoo's voice got all soft and whispery, it was strangely calming.

'On a scale from zero to ten, how cute those shirts are?'

He heard a chuckle behind him.

'A hundred.'

'Damn.'

  
  
Back pressed against the closed door, Mingyu stood there watching random people pass by or look at pretty clothes, acting as some sort of a bodyguard to his hyung who was still in the middle of changing into cute outfits. Being left with his wild imagination, Mingyu could only guess what kind of shirts Wonwoo had been trying on. He wanted so badly to just stand on his toes again and take a _peek_ , just a little to see but he feared he'd get busted real fast. So he retorted back to listening to the rustling sounds coming from inside the changing room behind him.

It felt like a year when it's been barely ten minutes of Mingyu glaring in silence at literally _anything_ that looked his way before Wonwoo's meek voice interrupted the one-man glaring contest he held with no one in particular.

'I'm done here. Can you kindly stop making enemies with random people? It's extremely rude.' Mingyu flinched at the poke on his arm, a very cute sight of Wonwoo's head peeking from the gap of the slightly opened door getting in his face. Not that he was complaining.

'Sorry, mom.' It kind of flew out of his mouth before he realized what did he say but the pink hue gracing Wonwoo's cheeks was clearly showing how embarrassed the remark made him feel. He brushed it off though, not saying anything back and just rolling his eyes. Mingyu went beet red himself and hastily apologized, scratching the back on his neck. Somehow, he had a way of getting them both into embarrassing situations. Jaehyun would laugh his ass off if he witnessed this.  
'What's with that baby boy attire anyway?' Mingyu's non-filtered mouth asked as he checked the older boy's outfit. Seriously, why did he always have to look so adorable? It didn't make sense. Dungaree shorts, really? Had Mingyu not know that the guy was a third year at Uni, he would've easily mistaken him for a middle schooler.  
'Looking cute for your sugar daddy- I mean, _boyfriend_?' Wiggling his eyebrows was a wrong move because Wonwoo's face went from surprised to blank in an instant. It's been a while since he'd last seen that resting bitch face.

'He's the same year as you, mind you,' he replied back, face unreadable but the blush gave him away. Oh? A younger partner, then. That was new. Mingyu was glad for the bit of information though.

'Is he more handsome than me?'

The instant burn he received from Wonwoo's barely moving lips as he said 'yes' in a firm voice, not even looking up, drew a very offended look on Mingyu's face. He wasn't sure why but it hurt his ego a bit, knowing that he wasn't more handsome than someone's boyfriend when it's been the exact opposite for as long as he could remember. Well, until now.

Not satisfied with the answer because Wonwoo didn't even look up to check if his rushed reply was _right_ , Mingyu kind of grasped the other by his shoulders and lowered himself to be on the eye level with him, literally getting in his face.

'Are you sure?' Their noses were almost touching as Mingyu got ridiculously close, making Wonwoo blink out of confusion. What was the sudden spurt of competitiveness gleaming in Mingyu's eyes?

'Hundred percent sure.' He said that, voice flat while holding eye contact long enough for the tall kid to sink in. The grip on his shoulders loosened until it was gone completely, his tense muscles screaming freedom and Wonwoo was met with a major disappointment on Mingyu's face. That pout was still there. Was he sulking?  
'Oh my God, stop it,' he rolled his eyes, 'you're an adult, not a kid.' Honestly, being salty over something that trivial as your looks not being that good as you'd thought was ridiculous. Mingyu seemed to take pride in his face, though now it was just a sad face of an overly oversized golden retriever.

A shrug and a pout was all he could get from Mingyu before the latter decided to check out the section with colorful sweaters. Wonwoo ended up following after him, quiet as a mouse. The grim look on the taller boy's face disappeared the instant he raked a hand through the soft material of one particular sweater. It was pastel blue and really cute. Wonwoo thought it was good to resume their conversation and pushed his luck.  
Clearing his throat, he looked up at him through his rounded glasses, a brow raised in question. 'If you like it, why don't you buy it?'  
He heard Mingyu sigh as he withdrew his fingers, settling for eyeing the clothes instead.

'Dahyun doesn't like when I wear soft colored clothes, says it's too girly,' he chuckled sadly when Wonwoo frowned, arms crossed over his chest. Not only the girl was possessive but controlling as well. The kid really had it rough. It was rude to mingle in someone else's relationship but Mingyu needed a bit of a helping hand, he'd decided. A little push won't hurt, right?  
Shuffling beside the taller, Wonwoo looked through the color palette of sweaters before he picked one, handing it to Mingyu who looked at him a bit confused.

'Try it on.'

Mingyu's brows raised at the demand but he obeyed because Wonwoo gave him no choice as he pushed him towards the changing rooms.

'How does it feel?' He got asked after he allowed Wonwoo to peek inside the cabin, looking incredibly tiny.

Mingyu turned around, flapping with the sweater paws as he mumbled, 'It's so soft and cute,' and returned back a smile to Wonwoo's own.

'Seems like it fits just right, too,' he mused while nodding, 'take it off and give it to me,' the older boy pushed his fingers through the gap, waiting for Mingyu to hand the clothes over.

'What was all that for?' He couldn't help but ask after he successfully got out of the changing room, being assaulted by a couple of girls swooning over him on his way to the entrance where Wonwoo had been waiting for him, bags clutched tightly in his hands. _He must've purchased the cute tops,_ he mused, pushing the adorable image from earlier out of his mind. Mingyu just now noticed the older had a very cute backpack, hanging loosely over his shoulder as he was rummaging through the inside in search of something. A pack of gummy bears. Mingyu got offered a few as a peace treaty as soon as he reached the guy. He took the sweets with a thanks, immediately tasting one on the spot. It was good.

'Your girlfriend.'

Mingyu stopped chewing for a moment, brows furrowed. 'What about her?'

'No matter how much you like her, don't let her control your life like that,' Wonwoo said as he handed a paper bag to him. Mingyu's eyes widened when he found out the contents of the bag, the cute pastel blue sweater was there.

'Oh my God, you actually bought it for me?' He breathed out, blush spreading across his cheeks because the gesture was too sweet it almost made him cry. 'I can't accept this, though.'

'You can and you will.'

'But-'

'Listen to your hyung.'

'Really-'

'It's just one sweater, Jesus,' Wonwoo rolled his eyes, 'the world won't crumble because of that.'

'Dahyun won't like this,' Mingyu mumbled under his breath, feeling sorry because of some circumstances he won't be able to wear the sweater his hyung had bought for him. What a waste of money. A waste on him.

'You can wear it when you hang out with me or my friends,' Wonwoo shrugged, 'we don't judge. Straight dudes can wear nice clothes, too.' He smiled, pushing the bag to Mingyu who sighed in defeat. He wasn't sure about the straight part- not anymore at least but the arguments seemed valid. How could he refuse now?

'Okay,' slowly, he nodded, 'thanks.'

  
  
They were roaming around the mall, killing some time by looking through glassed windows of some random shops while waiting for Soonyoung's ass to show up. The guy was meant to wait for Wonwoo inside that one shop but surprise- he was nowhere to find. Wonwoo had muttered something about him wandering off in the meantime; ditching him for his boyfriend who worked part-time at the tiny coffee shop a floor below. Well, he should've expected it'd turn out like this. Mingyu felt a bit sorry for his hyung, but judging by the neutral expression on his face, it was something Wonwoo had dealt with on a daily basis.  
Yeri was also nowhere to found as they both passed the shop he'd left her in and Mingyu would've freaked out and went to look for her if he didn't check his phone, now bright and full of Yeri's message, informing that she's still checking out some shops on the floor above them. How many floors there were, Jesus? Mingyu sighed, his arms getting jelly under the weight of the paper bags filled with his cousin's stuff. Wonwoo had offered his help but was strictly declined- Mingyu could take care of some bags himself, thank you very much. Still, it was really sweet of him to care.

'I bet all my Capri Suns that Soonyoung is flirting with Chan, keeping him away from his work,' Wonwoo noted off matter, looking at the shop windows they were passing by slowly. Mingyu couldn't stop the wide grin creeping its way on his face because the image of the older sipping on a kids' drink was too hilarious but not surprising either. Really, with the way Wonwoo acted and dressed, he had that baby boy agenda going on strong. Was it even possible for him to get any cuter?

Apparently, it was.

Just as Mingyu kept on walking beside the older, bags hovering over his arms weighing him down a bit, he failed to notice the steps of his friend quieted down until they weren't heard anymore. Alarmed, Mingyu turned around to look where Wonwoo had left off when he saw it. A sheer look of adoration plastered all over the older's face as his eyes were glued on something in the glassed window. Mingyu looked up to see the shop's sign. A bookstore.

Oh.

_Of course._

'Is there something you like?' The sparkle in Wonwoo's eyes as he turned his head to face Mingyu, sent a tingling sense of adoration down his spine. He cooed at the way the older nodded excitedly at his direction, a lithe finger pointing at one box set of books with a cover he'd seen on a cathedral's ceiling painting on his trip in Italy. Nothing he would ever read if he was being honest and it was in English, too but Wonwoo kept on sighing dreamily while literally drooling over the transparent wall separating him from the books.

'I've been looking for this set for so long, I can't believe they have it in stock now,' he bounced on his feet cutely like an excited bunny, sending another wave of pangs straight into Mingyu's heart. 'I really want to buy it but-' Wonwoo's voice fell into a silent pause as he threw a longing look at the books before turning away, albeit hesitantly. 'I already spent too much on new clothes and stuff for the kids,' he pouted, sad and wow, Mingyu was so ready to flick his credit card and buy the guy the whole bookstore. There should be a limit for a person's bar of cuteness. Seriously.

'Why don't you just read the books online?' Mingyu suggested but it had earned him something akin to an offended gasp from Wonwoo.

'What kinda barbarian do you think I am?'

'A very cute one?' Grinning, Mingyu replied, secretly enjoying the pink rose heating Wonwoo's cheeks. The light slap that followed after wasn't all that enjoyable but it wasn't enough to wipe the smugness off Mingyu's face.

Wonwoo sighed, turning his attention back to the glassed window. 'Looks like the box set displayed is the last one in stock- if I knew they have it here I wouldn't have bought so many stupid things. Oh God, what to do? I really want it-' He was now muttering to himself, deep in thought and sending a few lingering glances over at the shiny box set. Mingyu could see the wanton look; he'd never really understood what made books so special to some people but he felt rather obligated to do something about Wonwoo's sad look. The opportunity was right there. He just needed to be smooth about it.

'Well,' Mingyu cleared his throat to get attention, 'since you bought me that cute sweater,' he glanced over at the books still displayed in the most offering way and pulled a wallet out of his back pocket, almost laughing at the way Wonwoo's eyes went wide when he caught his stare, putting the pieces together, 'I think I should return the favor.' His moderate grin got bigger the second Wonwoo gasped out loud, already trying to put a halt to the taller boy's steps and keep him from going into the store.

'Mingyu, no.'

'Mingyu, yes.'

The desperate grip Wonwoo had on his sleeve slipped off as Mingyu successfully pushed forward, almost getting the older fall flat on his butt. His balance wavered and paved a clear path for the younger to slip away and disappear into the shop. Wonwoo honest to God whined, loud, stomping his foot out of stubbornness.

'That's not fair.' Arms crossed over his chest and a scoffing look to match his stance, Wonwoo had muttered the instant he saw Mingyu come back with something heavy and boxy in his arms. Surely, by the looks of it, he'd bought the books he's been so shamelessly drooling over.

'You bought me a thing I liked, so it's only natural I'd do the same for you,' Mingyu shrugged nonchalantly and handed the box to a very frowning Wonwoo. His gaze softened the moment his fingers touched the card material though, making him into a five years old child enjoying their present on Christmas Eve.  
'Now we're even.' Wonwoo looked up at him then, the box pressed tightly on his flat chest and Mingyu could see his eyes glisten with something being close to tears yet none had fallen off. It was the first time he saw someone tear up over a book but it just made his heart go bang! because _cute, cute, cute_.

'Thank you.' It was merely a whisper but he caught it anyway, his heart doing a somersault as Wonwoo's inky eyelashes fluttered to shoo away embarrassing tears and directed a shy smile at him. It soon reached his ears and the sight was so endearing, especially when his nose scrunched up cutely. Despite all the efforts, Mingyu found himself falling deep for the pretty guy and his _smile_.

Slowly, he returned back a smile of his own, his canines peeking out. 'Where to now?'

A loud buzz was heard and Mingyu watched Wonwoo reach for his phone tucked inside the breast pocket of his dungaree, an immediate frown creating wrinkles in the gap between his brows.

'Your boyfriend?' Mingyu guessed but was proven wrong by a shake of a head.

'It's Chan,' the other sighed, typing out a reply, 'he got scolded by his boss because Soonyoung kept on slowing the line and got some customers angry,' the frown deepened. Mingyu wanted so badly to smooth the wrinkles away but held himself.

'Guess we're heading to the coffee shop then?' A nod was his answer. Well, things were about to get interesting.

'Seriously, I swear to God, Soonyoung is so gonna get an ass-whooping from me.'

Mingyu burst out laughing then, throwing his head back, nearly tripping over a stair on the way down. A set of chuckles still made their way past his lips even though he almost got himself into an embarrassing situation. The sheer determination dominating the older boy's pretty features as he clenched his fist cutely, lips pursed was a sight to behold. Mingyu couldn't help but be smitten with him.

Wonwoo was so adorable.

  
*****

  
A week had passed since Mingyu last seen Wonwoo; while trying to make himself coerce into thinking that the crush on the beautiful man was all imagination of his head. Focusing solely on patching up his relationship with Dahyun also helped his mind to get on the right track. They did some talking; Mingyu was surprised that the girl apologized for her behavior towards Wonwoo and his friends- even promised she'd try to get along with them, regardless of their sexuality. He believed her words, they were sincere, spoken from the heart- at least Mingyu thought so.

Small steps first.

As usual, they ended up making out on Mingyu's couch and by the time the sun had settled down, he already had her small body pressed against his in the warmth of his bed.  
Having occupied himself with thoughts of his girlfriend and the fact that they made up, Mingyu was able to push away the 'other' feelings so foreign to him. He was back to his straight-self as he liked to call it; well, that's what he'd thought until one Sunday a message popped up, transforming his quiet phone into a fish flopping on a dry ground. Mingyu was home alone on that day; Jaehyun was out, probably on a date with his boyfriend (who still was a mystery to him because his friend apparently had no balls to introduce him yet) and Dahyun was spending the day with her family. Which, Mingyu should also do once in a while but knowing his parents, they would end up on the same trail as usual. Though he reconsidered coming home to back up his cousin, to give her moral support but he soon found out that it wasn't really necessary as it had been already taken care of by none other than Jeongguk. Somehow, the kids had managed to calm the tense situation at home; Mingyu figured as much when Yeri sent him a selfie with her and Jeongguk smiling, thumbs up in the air with a cute _'we've survived~!'_ as a note. Glad that the storm was over, Mingyu replied back to congratulate them and then to Jeongguk for having enough balls to ever set foot into the lion's den and coming back pretty much unscathed. Surprisingly, the kid had told him that a guy should protect a woman when things acquired to even if it meant facing an angry middle-aged woman head-on. So much for being whipped, Mingyu couldn't help but think, smiling to himself. It appeared that Jeongguk wasn't the only one whipped here.  
Looking through the messenger app, a very bright set of letters shone on his phone screen as he scrolled down the texts Soonyoung had sent him. The guy appeared to be just as chatty as he was in person, sending Mingyu cute pictures of dogs because he kind of figured they were his favorite and Mingyu expected something akin to that when the older attached a new photo to his message but what was his surprise when the photo turned out to be one of Wonwoo in a very interesting position, and an outfit that made Mingyu's nonexistent diabetes to emerge on the surface. Immediately, he flipped to his keyboard and typed out a reply so fast his phone froze for a second.

**[Sunday, 04:36 pm] To: Soon-hyung**

_Do enlighten me why did you send me this and wtf why is Wonwoo hyung reading a book while doing a split??_

He didn't forget to add a line of questioning emojis because yeah, why the heck was this _sin_ sent to him? Turned out, it wasn't intentional.

**[Sunday, 04:37 pm] From: Soon-hyung**

_fuck, sorry didn't mean to send this to you, i got your nick mixed up with wonu's boyfie, but to answer your question, he was stretching his fucking long ass limbs and couldn't tear his eyes off the damn book (which is your fault cuz you bought that for him) so apparently it was just a normal thing for him to spread his legs and do a split all while not even glancing away from the book, which is a fucking amazing skill if you ask me_

_it's gotta be the yoga lessons he's been taking lately i guess lol_

Mingyu bit his lip, trying not to visualize the proceeding of Wonwoo's legs spreading at such angle. Goddammit, and when he thought he was freed from the sin, Soonyoung had to bring it back and literally shove it in his face.

**[Sunday, 04:38 pm] From: Soon-hyung**

_anyway, pls don't tell won you saw the pic, he'd freak out and not cook for me anymore :(((_

Even the emojis were screaming how panicky Soonyoung must've been when realizing his mistake as he went back and deleted the photo. He wasn't aware that Mingyu had managed to download it before it was too late.

**[Sunday, 04:40 pm] To: Soon-hyung**

_Don't sweat it man, I'm glad he likes the book tho~_

He got a relieved reply afterward as Soonyoung made him promise he won't tell a thing about his mishap. They cut the conversation there but Mingyu, though he tried his very best to resist the urge, couldn't help and browsed his gallery straight to the new addition of his collection. Wonwoo looked so damn adorable even when in such position; the round glasses still framing his pretty eyes but Mingyu kind of ended up staring at his bare legs because Wonwoo apparently loved wearing those tiny shorts from back then. But sweet lord, how flexible one guy can be? None of his friends could do a split without breaking their pelvis but then again- they were all a bunch of sissies complaining about a small cut on their thumb. Wonwoo on the other hand, was surely something else. Honestly, was this man trying to give him a heart attack or what? Whatever the reason might be, it was working. Mingyu's heartbeat raced like crazy. All because of a single photo.

'Damn, he really has nice legs.'

  
*****

  
Three minutes. It took exactly three minutes for Soonyoung to actually call Wonwoo, at six on a Tuesday morning, with a voice so excited the neighbors two floors below his flat could hear it. So much for a peaceful sleep, Wonwoo had thought, dreadful, rubbing his eyes lazily while listening to a couple of screams on the other line. Soonyoung was shouting the news of _'I passed the first round, Won- I fucking passed that shit!'_ on his highest pitch probably, making the younger deaf for a moment. That was great and all, Wonwoo was proud of his friend, he never doubted his amazing dancing skills but did he have to go off like this on his rare day off and _this_ early? Apparently, yes. Once something got Kwon Soonyoung excited, there was no way of stopping him from going all exaggerate and goddamn loud.  
The call went for about five minutes until the voice had calmed down, easing the horrible pain Wonwoo's left ear kept on suffering from.

_'-and I think clubbing would be a great way of celebrating my amazing-self, don't you think? You haven't been out much, a little wind up wouldn't hurt, yeah?'_

Wonwoo was only half-listening, trying desperately to go back into his dreamland but he hummed in response anyway, just so he could finally hang up and sleep. Please.

'Mhm, yeah, whatever.'

 _'Oh my fucking God, are you actually agreeing to come and party your ass off with us?'_ The blond squeaked, literally, like that hammer toy they used in Korean TV shows and Wonwoo winced at how painful it sounded in his ear.

'I'd even put on a latex outfit if it made you lower your damn voice,' he mumbled, cheek squished by his pillow. Another set of squeals was heard and then there was a pause as Soonyoung cleared his throat.

 _'Dressing sexy would do, too,'_ he laughed, _'besides, your non-existent ass would look ridiculous in that shit. Bet Jae would still put his dick in it, though.'_ Wonwoo honest to God wanted to smash the phone against Soonyoung's dumb head but he was too lazy to drive to the dorms and do it personally. So he chose to take it out some other day when he'd least expected it.

'Uh, are you done yet? It's still so early and I need to prepare lunches for the kids,' Wonwoo groaned into the phone to show his annoyance.

 _'Yeah! Sorry for the wake-up call, gonna hang up now,'_ the blond laughed, _'we're gonna check out that newly opened gay bar downtown this Friday so don't even think about ditching me, okay? Or I'll post some embarrassing pics on the school's board!'_ He warned. _'You better bring your man along, too because you know how persistent some guys can be!'_ He shouted for the last time and ended the call, not even letting Wonwoo say goodbye. Uh. Whatever. He was just glad he had his peace again. There was no way of getting out of the invitation though because Wonwoo definitely didn't want his pictures hanging on the board for everyone to see. Soonyoung took his threats seriously.

  
  
Since it was his first day off in September, Wonwoo could actually prepare meals of different variations for his brother and his friends. Well, at least one could be considered a friend, for now. He wasn't sure about the other two.  
Spending the majority of the sunny morning by setting up food, Wonwoo had the set of four lunchboxes ready an hour before Jeongguk's break. He was proud of himself; he'd learned so much from Taeyong and now had the opportunity to test his cooking skills. Wonwoo hoped the kids would enjoy his food.

  
  
There was surprisingly still some time left before the bell announced the start of the break, so Wonwoo busied himself with playing some old-school game on his phone while waiting outside the class Jeongguk attended.  
A melodic ring echoed through the hallway, the set of doors opening not a second after the speakers went silent, revealing a bunch of hungry students sprinting off to the canteen. Wonwoo waited for a little while until the hall got cleared before he eventually made his way forward, to the music classroom. The first thing that greeted him was a shout and then a long arm waving at him from the furthest corner of the room. Jeongguk was smiling from ear to ear, his steps heavy with excitement as he hopped all the way down to greet his brother. Wonwoo also noticed Yeri sitting in the front, writing something in her journal. He didn't know where to go first; Jeongguk made it easier for him.

'Wonu!' He screamed, already in the middle of preparing for a hug; it's been weeks since they last seen each other after all and Jeongguk tended to be clingy if separated from his brothers for too long. Wonwoo successfully avoided the hug by simply throwing one of the boxes the brunet's way; it got caught in mid-air because Jeongguk had fast reflexes and curious, he stopped in his tracks to examine the bright red thing, heavy with something. The glint in the younger's eyes when the contents had been revealed to him, put a smile on Wonwoo's lips.

'Shit,' Jeongguk gasped as he peeked inside the small lunchbox, 'you even made green tea mochi for me? God, you're such a great wife!' He screamed happily as he tightly wrapped his arms around Wonwoo's shoulders. 'Thanks a bunch, Wonu!'

It was time for the older to feel embarrassed. 'Oh my God, stop it,' he shushed him before making his way to Yeri's sitting spot near the professor's desk. Slowly, he put a new lunchbox on her desk, leaning in to whisper: 'I wasn't sure if you're on a diet or not since you looked so pale and thin the other day but I put a bit of everything in here so please eat as much as you want,' he smiled knowingly as Yeri nodded silently, surprised by Wonwoo's observation skills. She had hoped no one would notice it but there was always someone sharp. It was a nice gesture from Wonwoo's side, though.

'Gukkie,' Wonwoo turned to his brother who was stuffing his face with mochi already, 'keep an eye on Yeri and make sure she eats her lunch.' Patting the younger's shoulder, he exited the room to deliver the last two lunches remaining. He heard a muffled _'yes, mom!'_ from Jeongguk in the corner, making Wonwoo shake his head at the choice of words.

  
  
Finding the class Jaehyun attended took longer than expected. He had to ask some students for directions before he made it to the west corridor. Spotting his boyfriend immediately, standing meters away near the window with Yeri's cousin, he rushed towards the two, fingers clutching tight on the boxes. He had intended to give it to them before their break ended.  
When Jaehyun accidentally turned his way, Wonwoo almost tripped over nothing as the dimples on the younger's face shone brightly. He maintained his balance though and without embarrassing himself he hastily took a few rushed steps before stopping completely in front of them.

'Wonwoo hyung?' It was Mingyu's voice who just turned his whole body, curious what made his friend smile like an idiot. He didn't expect Jaehyun's sweet _'what brings you here, baby boy?'_ before catching Wonwoo's lips in a chaste kiss. Mingyu's brow shot up in question at the rosy cheeks the older couldn't hide.  
Noticing the confused look flashing across his friend's face, Jaehyun took a hold of Wonwoo's hand, turning to Mingyu with a grin.

'Oh, I didn't tell you? He's my boyfriend.'

What the fuck?

Mingyu blinked to make sure he heard that right. There were no further words needed because Wonwoo's face was bright red, sighing in relief as Jaehyun's fingers caressed his in a gentle manner. It might've been a cute sight for those who really didn't know the blond but Mingyu couldn't believe his friend had managed to date Jeongguk's shy as hell brother. Because well, the older certainly didn't strike him as someone who liked to party and sleep around; even though they've only met a few times for the time being. But judging from Jaehyun's past partners, he was extremely surprised to say the least; Wonwoo might've been oblivious to all the affairs his boyfriend has had like pretty much everyone the guy had been in a relationship with. Which, unsurprisingly, wasn't a lot. Mingyu could count on one hand the times Jaehyun had a serious relationship with someone. Everyone else had been just a fling- a way to kill time and have fun. Now he could see why Jeongguk looked so pissed everytime his brother's boyfriend was brought up in conversation. Had Yeri dated a player like his friend, he would've put his guard up, too.  
Who Wonwoo dated wasn't his concern, really- Mingyu just wasn't expecting that the older was into bad boys.

Mingyu cleared his throat, eyes shifting nervously from Jaehyun to Wonwoo (who looked so damn adorable in a beret, Jesus Christ, why must he do this to him) and back. 'I can't believe that Wonwoo hyung is the guy you had eaten out the other day.' It kind of flew out of his mouth before he could even think about the impact but it was already too late to take it back. Wonwoo's face burned hot at the bluntness of Mingyu's words and the fact that his boyfriend had the audacity to even open his damn mouth and bring their sexual activities in a conversation with his friend- with Mingyu, no less. Red as a tomato, he tightened his hold on the blond's hand, resisting the urge to hide his face in his shirt. He also hoped none of the students randomly passing by didn't hear anything Mingyu had said because his voice was so _loud_.

'Uh, you guys know each other?' Jaehyun asked with a confused smile, gently squeezing the smaller hand in his. A round of applause for him and his ignorance to Mingyu's loud mouth.

'Yes, actually,' Wonwoo answered slowly, cheeks still rosy, 'Mingyu's cousin is the one Jeongguk is getting married to.' The look of astonishment flashing across Jaehyun's face was hilarious. His mouth fell open and closed off again as he found a sight of agreement in Mingyu's nod.

'Hold on a sec- you didn't tell me about it, like, at all,' Jaehyun pouted, hurt evident in his eyes as he looked at Wonwoo. The older just shrugged.

'You didn't ask though?' What a cheeky reply. Mingyu choked back a snort in his throat. Jaehyun looked really offended.

'Well, obviously? I had more important things to do, like getting my dick between your-' The rest was a mystery as the blond got his mouth covered by Wonwoo's hand, his face beet red from the slip of tongue. Mingyu was glad he didn't get to hear the full sentence because his imagination ran wild and picturing anything that involved Jaehyun and his dick in a conversation, honestly gave him goosebumps. The worst kind of goosebumps. He really wasn't here to hear about his friend's love life. Some things should be kept private.

A muffled sound of words coming from Jaehyun's mouth sealed by his boyfriend's hand made Mingyu snort out loud. The scene almost looked cute. Almost. Now that he finally got to know the identity of Jaehyun's mysterious boyfriend who wasn't all that mysterious, he couldn't help but wonder _how_. How did the shy, soft-spoken introvert managed to steal all of his blond friend's attention? And it seemed his presence had a really good effect of transforming the usually flirty Jung Jaehyun into an affectionate guy, having his eyes all on one person. It was as if Wonwoo, for some unknown reasons, used some sort of a magic trick to put Jaehyun's playboy side to sleep. How would he explain otherwise the fondness in his eyes as a reddened Wonwoo mumbled something about getting embarrassed by that lousy mouth of his. Even though the sudden change in Jaehyun's behavior was a bit of a pleasant surprise, Mingyu couldn't help but feel skeptical, still. He'd never been invested in Jaehyun's partners before, there was really no need for him to be but knowing the fact that _Wonwoo_ , of all people got caught in one of the many traps the blond had set up, didn't sit well with him.  
Jaehyun had never put a dick in one of his friends, as much as Mingyu was aware but Wonwoo _was_ his friend (who also happened to be his crush) and he couldn't quite process the fact that he was dating a guy of this type. He had to watch out for the older because he knew how Jaehyun was with relationships- long termed, for that matter. Wonwoo was a kind person, someone Mingyu didn't want to see being consumed by the devil.

'I brought you guys lunch. I know canteen food sucks.' The push at his arm brought Mingyu back from his temporary blackout and he smiled as Wonwoo put a lunchbox into his hands. It quickly faded though when Jaehyun, grinning, embraced the older from behind, mouthing a soft _'thank you'_ against the sensitive skin on his nape. As if the blush from before wasn't enough, it had only deepened in color, making Wonwoo into a smashed tomato mess. Mingyu might've found the sight endearing if he hadn't known that Jaehyun was like that with every one of his past partners. But Wonwoo looked super cute with his hair tucked under the beret and blushing an adorable pink; Mingyu kind of wanted to jump off a cliff or a shove a fist in his mouth, whatever helped his whipped-self from cooing at the guy. He ended up beaming anyway.

'Is fulfilling our stomachs the only thing you came all the way here for?'

Wonwoo shook his head at the blond's kissy ask, fidgeting in the tight embrace, head lowered down. It was clear as water he was shy about getting physical contact in public but his boyfriend didn't let him wiggle out to safety. He was just too happy of seeing the guy. Mingyu sent a sympathetic look at his squirmy hyung.

'Soonyoung got past the first round in the competition.' Just then Wonwoo looked up, smiling slightly at Mingyu.

'Wow, not surprising but congrats?' The taller returned a smile of his own, and Wonwoo nodded, the blush washing off. He was still trapped in his boyfriend's hug but his body seemed to accustom to the feeling and relaxed.

'He also wants to celebrate it by going to that new gay bar downtown on Friday. He kinda blew the news at me while I was half-dead so I agreed just to shut him up. And since he threatened me with my embarrassing pics from my childhood if I tried of chickening out, I really have no choice than to go and 'party my ass off'- his words.' The tone in his voice overflowed with grumpiness as he made a pouty face at Jaehyun who laughed softly.  
'You know Soonyoung gets awfully drunk when clubbing and those idiots of friends are not really different either,' he paused, 'Taeyong hyung is working on his thesis so he can't come and watch over them and I can't do it without help-' And that's when Wonwoo suddenly got clingy, back pressing up to his boyfriend, lips pursed and eyes pleading.  
'Say, Jaehyunnie,' Mingyu cringed internally at the nickname, 'what about you come with me and help me keep the kids at bay so they won't go berserk and ruin the club?' Of all places Mingyu hadn't expected to witness the older's aegyo, it was the hallway in their school. And it wasn't even directed at him.  
'Please?' The last bit was whispered in the blond's ear, sending shivers down his spine. Wonwoo never got like this in public with so many people around, him stepping out of his comfort zone was showing how determined he was for getting a positive reply. And Jaehyun was weak for his little antics but there was one thing preventing him from nodding and just go with it.

The hold tightened around Wonwoo's waist as Jaehyun sucked in a deep breath, eyes fluttering shut for a moment. 'God, I'd like to, I fucking would but I need to ace the next economy test-' he didn't get to finish as Wonwoo's look changed, pushing himself away from the hug but only slightly.

'Ah, if it's about getting good grades then that's okay, I understand,' he smiled, pinching his boyfriend's cheek in an affectionate manner. 'Education is important. I'll manage the kids somehow-'

'But you need some muscles to keep the pervs away,' Jaehyun noted, pouting. Mingyu snorted at the sudden role reversal but then his friend looked at him, his widened eyes indicating an idea popped in his mind.  
'Mingyu's good at it! Yeah, what about you bodyguard Wonu and his friends and ensure their safety? I know Fridays are your lazy days and knowing Dahyun, she'll ditch your ass for her friends again,' satisfied with his bulletproof reasoning, Jaehyun fixated his eyes at Mingyu who just stood there, processing the words.

'Mingyu is straight, though,' Wonwoo pointed out, 'he'd get eaten alive by the gays if he's not careful enough.'

'He wouldn't let that happen,' Jaehyun waved him off, 'he can take care of himself, right?' Mingyu slowly nodded at that, unsure of how to respond.

'I don't know though-' He managed to mutter out at last, deep in thought.

'Please? There are some bad vibes going around the place or so I've heard and you're a few lessons ahead of me in box so if anything bad should happen, I know you'd be able to protect Wonu and the guys.'

Mingyu was flattered by the praise but really, he was still considering.

'I'll let you guys decide that on your own,' Wonwoo suddenly butted in, voice soft, 'I have to go now- promised Jeno I'd pick him up from his class.' Successfully wiggling out of the tentacle arms of his boyfriend, Wonwoo threw a quick look at Mingyu before turning back to Jaehyun. He leaned in to plant a quick kiss on his cheek.  
'Just let me know beforehand how did Mingyu decide, okay?' Lifting his hand up to wave, Wonwoo smiled cutely before turning on his heel but a sudden tug on the hem of his sailor shirt (which Mingyu found absolutely adorable) made him stop in his track and let out a yelp, soon to be swallowed down by Jaehyun's greedy mouth as he kissed him on the lips. Mingyu heard something the blond whispered against his boyfriend's lips but couldn't quite make out of what it was exactly; judging by the deep blush spreading across Wonwoo's cheeks it must've been really embarrassing.

'Please take care of my boyfriend.' A soft plea was whispered from Wonwoo's lips and it took Mingyu a good five seconds before realizing it was directed at him. Blinking slowly to proceed the words, he nodded, smiling awkwardly.

'Leave it to me.' He pulled Jaehyun by his collar, gently of course, shifting his uncooperative ass closer to him so Wonwoo could leave.

'I wanted him to stay longer.' Mingyu rolled his eyes at the annoying pout his friend was sporting and clutched the lunchbox tightly in his hand.

'You can see him again after our classes, he's not gonna run away from you,' he said teasingly, turning on his heel to come back inside their classroom. There was still some time left before the second half of the most boring subject aka economy class which drained his soul five days a week, started and the suspiciously sweet aroma coming from the lunchbox he'd received from Wonwoo was begging to end up in his growling stomach.

'I wish he went to our Uni, things would be much easier to handle.' Mingyu snorted at the sad puppy look, the confidence his friend had usually held himself with gone by a miracle, only being replaced by a slouched shoulders and pursing lips.

'Cheer up, sad boy. I'll buy you some cupcakes at the cafeteria later, yeah?' Mingyu smacked his back playfully with an open palm. This seemed to pique Jaehyun's interest as the corners of his mouth lifted upwards in a smile.

'Strawberry flavored,' he demanded, straightening his back at last and Mingyu laughed whilst nodding.

 

*****

  
'Have you decided yet?' Jaehyun's voice was muffled by the food he'd gobbled the instant he settled on the desk next to Mingyu's side. He was emitting really embarrassing sounds of pure bliss, he guessed- by the looks of it, Wonwoo had prepared sweet dumplings, making his mouth water just at the mere sight. They must've been delicious. At least that's what he figured from Jaehyun's loud humming around the food.

'They're going on Friday, right? There's still plenty of time, lemme just think that through.' Mingyu nibbed at the protein bar he'd bought on his way to Uni this morning, his very own set of lunch sitting before him, still unopened and inviting.

'I know but-' Jaehyun paused, his eyes darkening all of a sudden, followed by a loud scoff. Mingyu quirked a brow, scanning the incredulous look on the blond's face. What-

A sudden tug on his sleeve didn't let Mingyu voice out the concern about his friend's unfinished sentence. Blinking slowly, he turned in his seat to look up at his girlfriend who just stormed into his class.

'Gyu, let's go out this Friday! Seulgi is having a birthday party and she invited us over! Isn't that great?' Dahyun exclaimed happily while trying to sit on his lap. Mingyu would've let her but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

'Sorry love but _Gyu_ is gonna bodyguard my princess and his friends this Friday.' Jaehyun's voice was like honey and honestly, it made Mingyu choke on his spit. It sounded so _fake_.  
Dahyun swiftly smacked the intrusive hand away and stood up with a frown. She wasn't going to let the Jung do as he pleased- crushing her plans with her boyfriend for a stupid reason like that.

'Why would he do that? Isn't it your duty to look after your partner? Hm?' A winning smile had crept up on her lips and Jaehyun almost snickered back a reply but the low tone in Mingyu's voice interrupted their bickering.

'I promised him, Dahyun,' he looked at her with apologetic eyes. 'His boyfriend is fragile as a glass and no way his friends would be able to protect him if anything bad should happen to him. Jae is busy with his exams and he can't keep him safe out there so I volunteered to help him.'

'But what if they turn you gay?' The girl tried to protest and Jaehyun rolled his eyes at the stupid question.

Mingyu just grabbed her small hands in his, holding them while smiling gently. 'That's not gonna happen because the one I'll be thinking about all night is you,' and then soothed her with a light kiss on her bare forehead. She pouted but her make-up couldn't cover the blush spreading across her cheeks.  
Jaehyun rolled his eyes for the second time that day because _damn_ , that was too cheesy even for him and hearing it from his friend made him cringe so hard. He was glad it worked out, though.

  
  
Mingyu looked dead in the face after the exhausting ten minutes Dahyun had spent with talking about that new collection of handbags she'd seen in _that one_ shop, giving out subtle hints to her boyfriend. Jaehyun spectated the scene from beside his friend, enjoying both the uninterested replies and the dumplings Wonwoo had packed in his lunchbox. Damn, they were good as hell. His princess knew how to satisfy a man's stomach. He laughed when Dahyun turned around just to frown at the obnoxious slurp the blond had taken especially to annoy her. She was about to spit out a very rude remark but a sudden shout from the door made the words swallow in her throat. Judging by the squeaky voice coming from outside the classroom, it was one of her friends because in seconds she was up, bidding her goodbye to Mingyu after pulling him into a heated kiss, right in front of Jaehyun's eyes, trying her best to annoy him in return. He wanted so bad to roll his eyes but the tasty food between his chopsticks was more important than some possessive chick. Dahyun might've been hot but that was probably the only good thing about her. She lacked in terms of personality, something she'd inherited from her mother who was just as fake and selfish as her daughter. The inability of not being able to cook a single thing was also one of the reasons Jaehyun wouldn't survive in a serious relationship with her. How Mingyu still managed to put up with her was beyond his knowledge. For real, the girl cared only for herself, only acknowledging Mingyu's presence when she needed to boast about her _boyfriend_ because let's face it; the guy had everything- good looks and money. His personality was just a bonus. Literally every girl's dream boy. Shame that he had bad luck regarding his girlfriends.  
Jaehyun felt like Mingyu was just a trophy Dahyun carried around to show off. Even Jaehyun wasn't that of an insensitive asshole and that was saying a lot, considering his past behavior. Boy should notice how toxic his girlfriend is before she consumes him fully. Mingyu definitely deserved someone better.

'Thanks for agreeing being a bodyguard to Wonu and his friends,' Jaehyun said between full lips, tasting the sweetness of the dumpling in slow chewing. 'I was scared for a moment you'd refuse for real when Dahyun dropped Seulgi's birthday at you. I totally thought you'd go with her.' He saw Mingyu grimace, unsure how to interpret it. Honestly, it just seemed to him that his friend only agreed to his offer so he didn't have to attend a birthday party with his girlfriend. Which was weird and so unlike Mingyu as he was a very dedicated person, putting up with Dahyun's whims and practically never leaving her side. Maybe, he thought, that Mingyu was finally starting to see through the facade the girl had put up.

The taller boy only shrugged, his eyes shifting to his desk, where his lunchbox rested. It was still laying there, unopened. Mingyu wanted to gobble the food regardless of what it was but the fact of Wonwoo being Jaehyun's boyfriend bugged him to the point he couldn't bring himself to eat his hyung's cooking. Not until he made sure of one thing. It's been on his mind for a while. So he turned his back, the lunchbox clutched in his hands, to Jaehyun who raised a brow in expectation.

'I know Wonwoo hyung is literally the opposite of type you usually go for,' Jaehyun nodded slowly at that, brows knitting together in confusion. 'Isn't he a bit too innocent for you to fuck?' Mingyu was kind of scared of hearing Jaehyun's answer when he asked. His friend turned to look at him, a dimpled smile on his face.

'He is,' he admitted, 'but breaking the innocent ones is the best fun.' He laughed and dip into his lunchbox to pick a delicious looking rice dumpling.

Mingyu's stomach twisted uncomfortably at the remark. Yeah, he shouldn't have asked at all.

'I think I corrupted him a little, though,' he chuckled, his eyes turning into little crescents.

'How so?' It was out so fast before Mingyu could shut his mouth and it had Jaehyun laughing. 'Uh, you know what, I'd rather not know,' he backed off the instant he asked for the reason. Jaehyun messing with his partners was nothing new. It was partly because of his playboy persona that Mingyu was honestly concerned about Wonwoo's well-being. Something in his gut was telling him the older might suffer badly if things went downhill in their relationship.  
Jaehyun didn't commit to one person; he moved swiftly between people like a wind, having affairs with boys and girls even when in a relationship. Mingyu felt uneasy at the thought of Wonwoo being heartbroken like many of Jung Jaehyun's past partners. All because the latter was a selfish prick.

'Dude, you never ask me about those things, didn't know Wonu tickles your fancy but not surprised either- I mean, who wouldn't tap that, honestly?' The blond nudged him playfully with a smirk.

Mingyu groaned.

'For fuck's sake, Jae, I'm straight, remember? Sorry to disappoint, but I like boobs and soft bodies if you haven't noticed _yet_ \- that's why I have a girlfriend,' he rubbed at his temples, frustrated because he was fed up with the teasing for today. And just when was getting soft around Jaehyun, he had to go off like this and ruin the moment he was trying on enjoying. Well- so much for the good boy Jung Jaehyun.

'Just so you know, Wonu has a soft body, too,' the blond whispered, 'and he's extremely sensitive.' A smile. 'He doesn't have boobs like your girlfriend but I bet my whole collection of Big Bang's discography plus concert DVDs that he's _way_ prettier naked and moaning than any other chick you've ever been with.' A smirk.

'Christ, you're so gross, stop.' Mingyu held up his hand, hiding his face in pure embarrassment behind the other. The image of his (not so) crush splayed butt-naked on the sheets writhing under one of his fucking _friends_ wasn't helping his already corrupted mind. But Jaehyun's lips moved again, extending the teasing.

'You know, he takes my cock so well, I honestly think he has no gag reflex 'cause damn, he can deep throat like a fucking champ-'  
This time Mingyu almost choked the blond to death. Almost. He wanted to but he was a well-mannered boy so he decided to squeeze Jaehyun's shoulder instead.

'I swear I'll waste all the food Wonwoo hyung so thoughtfully prepared for us and throw it on your new J's if you don't stop talking shit about your dick,' he warned, face red as a tomato. Jaehyun was about to say something back but the grip on his shoulder tightened and that shut him up. He gave up.

'Sorry, you're just so fun to tease.' He laughed before storming out of the class, probably to hide himself from punishment. Mingyu wished he choked the prick when he still had the chance. Now his mind will be occupied with Jaehyun's dick in Wonwoo's mouth everytime he sees the older.

_Fantastic._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP Mingyu for catching feelings.  
>  ~~can't blame him though.~~


	7. Seven.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mingyu and Wonwoo look out for each other.

'I can't believe I agreed to go to a fucking gay bar.'

There was a loud eruption of laughs that almost got the table Mingyu had been sitting at shaking, and he wished his mouth had a zipper so he could just pull it up and avoid the embarrassing outcome of his blunt words.  
His friends couldn't even shut up and had to rub his poor decisions on him by whistling inappropriate remarks into the air, causing the people at the diner to frown at the commotion. Mingyu just wanted to shrink under the table and eat his fried chicken bits in peace but of course he couldn't when he's got arms all over his shoulders and jokes to go with them.

'That's the funniest thing I've heard in a while, oh my God!' Someone two seats away from him laughed into the air.

'Whose idea was that? You lost a bet?' One of his teammates asked whilst laughing. Mingyu frowned, pointing a finger right at Jaehyun who snorted audibly.

'He was squirming at first but agreed in the end, so,' Jaehyun shrugged, a shit-eating grin gracing his soft features. He successfully dodged a fry going his way, courtesy of Mingyu.

'You're lucky Wonwoo hyung is cute.' The taller boy mumbled under his breath but it didn't go unnoticed because apparently, his friends who were normally a dense bunch had a very sensitive hearing and could detect the next victim of their teasing within a good meter radius.

'Damn, you gotta protect your man, Jae before Mingyu here steals him away from you,' Baekho, their captain snickered, making everyone around him laugh.

'Not gonna happen,' Mingyu sighed, 'Wonwoo hyung thinks his boyfriend,' his hand gestured at his blond friend sitting across from him, 'is more handsome than me,' he was pouting now. His friends, however, found that rather amusing, almost crying from laughing too hard.

'Well, he knows the facts.' Smug as ever, Jaehyun replied, looking annoyingly proud. Mingyu wanted to choke all that cockiness down the blond's throat but he could control himself that much.

'You're really going?' Hansol, the freshman, the most chill person he'd ever met asked with a raised brow. When Mingyu gave him a nod, the younger continued. 'Seungkwan wanted to check one out but we were so busy with exams and practice I haven't got the chance to take him to one. I've heard they sprinkle confetti at the end of songs, is that true?'

Mingyu coughed into his meal.

'Uh, no idea, bro. I haven't been to one either but it's gotta be the same as any regular club but for dudes only?' This got his stupid circle of fellow teammates into another fit of laughter and Mingyu was kind of glad that Jeongguk wasn't there with them at the moment. The kid disappeared right after their practice ended. Where to, he could only guess. It was none of his business but a tiny piece in the back of his mind was telling him it was something related to Yeri.

'Who's Seungkwan?' One of his friends asked, mouth full and greasy at the corners. Mingyu was low key disgusted by the sight but didn't comment on it and just focused his attention on Hansol who answered with a bright smile.

'My boyfriend.'

Okay, that was a bit surprising. Of all people on his team, Hansol appeared to be the least one with a preferred sexual orientation. But who was Mingyu to judge, when he himself was torn between dumping his giflfriend and holding hands with his friend's boyfriend.

'You guys are not one of those homophobic pussies, are you?' There was a slight wariness in Hansol's voice as he glanced around, disturbed by the sudden silence. To his relief, the guys laughed out loud (Mingyu swore he saw bits of chicken fly above him), shaking their heads in unison.

'God, no, we don't really care, man,' Baekho waved his hand with a smile, making the youngest relax in his seat. 'It kinda threw me off guard, is all, 'cause you didn't strike me as someone with an interest in either gender. But good for you, I guess.'

Hansol smiled sheepishly.

'Well, as long as it doesn't affect your play, you're free to date whoever you want,' Jaehyun shrugged, biting into his chicken wrap while texting on his phone. Wonwoo, probably. It was evident from the annoying, sweet smile the blond had been sporting for the past ten minutes. Unconsciously, Mingyu bit his lip, zoning out for a brief moment.  
'I just texted Wonu with your answer.' This got him out of his reverie almost instantly. 'He says it's still okay if you don't wanna go but you won't back out, right?' Mingyu shook his head with so much vigor he made Hansol snort a laugh into his chicken.

'I always stand by my words,' he said a bit proudly and got a finger heart from Jaehyun.

Mingyu faked a gag.

'I know. You're a real bro.'

The guys whistled in approvement at that, all smiles and loud chewing in-between and Mingyu quietly shrank in his seat, trying not to think about Friday and the way Wonwoo's smile brightened the inside of his heart.

 

*****

 

For the next few days, as classes got more tiresome and practice tougher, Mingyu had actually forgotten about all that bodyguarding stuff he'd agreed to. There was simply no time for him to think about Friday, let alone Wonwoo which he should've been thankful for but it came back to him when the end of the school week rolled around and he'd been laying on the floor like a truck ran him over, panting heavily from the unholy amount of work-out his coach had put him through. Friday practices tended to be longer than on any other days because a weekend followed after so they could sleep the ache in their muscles away but honestly speaking, their coach was just one hell of a sadist. At least in his team's eyes. So Mingyu was really surprised when a whistle signaling the end of their torment reached his ears. He stood up, feeling every muscle in his body twitch and glanced briefly at the board to check on time, realizing the clock barely reached four. He shot a worrying look their captain's way who grinned with a nonchalant shrug.

'Good job today, guys,' the coach shouted into the air, hands clasping together, 'if you put the effort on the court as much as you do in our practice, winning the next game should be an easy task, am I right?' There was a shout of _'yes, sir!'_ and someone threw their hands up in an overly excited manner. Mingyu rolled his eyes, silently envying the lack of exhaustion because he felt like he'd pass out any second.  
Their coach barked out a laugh and dismissed his team with a promise of going to nationals if the guys kept on working hard.

Just as Mingyu got out of the shower, all fresh and sweat-free, Jaehyun called him over, training bag loosely hanging on his shoulder.  
'Wonu's at Jeongguk's place,' he said, ignoring the raised brow he got as a silent response. 'The club's opening at eight so be sure you won't be late. Make sure the guys get there and back without a scratch, 'kay?' He patted Mingyu on the shoulder, leaving with a salute. 'Oh, and don't forget to take a pic of my princess' outfit!' He yelled in a hurry before disappearing behind the gym doors.

All the things he'd said and promised came flooding back as Mingyu stood in front of his locker with a towel around his waist, dripping wet, his face contorting as the realization hit him and he remembered.

'Well, damn.'

 

  
The instant the passcode to his apartment flashed a positive blue and the door clicked a sound, Mingyu headed immediately for his bedroom, completely unbothered by the bag with sweat-soaked jerseys he so carelessly threw on the floor as he got inside.  
Sweaty clothes were the least of his concerns right now, he had to turn his bland closet upside down and choose an outfit that would look good on him and didn't make him stand out too much. Thankfully, Dahyun wasn't there at the moment, the girl had told him she'd attend Seulgi's birthday party but didn't forget to remind her boyfriend that she wasn't pleased with him ditching her for _'that prick's boyfriend'._ Mingyu apologized to her with a heavily long make-out session which, as always, led to a quick fuck, this time against the wall. Dahyun liked to be the one in control most of the time but she didn't protest when Mingyu got a little bit more assertive in bed. It didn't happen often because Mingyu preferred slow love-making, not really a big fan of quickies but sometimes he got all fed up with the bullshit at school with an added pressure from his coach breathing on his neck to power up his performance on the court and he unleashed the beast within him as a result. This was kind of his way of coping with stress and Dahyun seemed to love that side of him so Mingyu let it go and enjoyed himself while doing so.

Sighing, he checked the article of clothes one by one, stopping only at the pastel blue sweater he got from Wonwoo. He wanted so badly to put it on and go but he decided against it. It was too pretty to wear it to a place filled with sweat and smoke. He cherished the sweater too much for it to be ruined in some club he didn't even know the name of. It took a while but after trying various combinations and contemplating whether to leave it or throw it, a decision was made.  
The outfit he chose for the occasion consisted of a sleeveless shirt showing off the muscles on his arms he'd been working on for months, followed by a pair of blue worn out jeans and toppled with sneakers he'd once bought on a whim but never worn until today. Far from his usual pick he wore for clubs but since he wasn't going there to dance or flirt, he figured comfy clothes would be appropriate. For starters, he was already committed and didn't really want to have guys flirting with him. So there was no need to dress to impress. Except, maybe for Wonwoo. But Mingyu was on a mission that night. He's got a job, very important at that, to do and he intended to get it done. Babysitting ( _'bodyguard, Gyu, not a babysitter,'_ Jaehyun's voice nagged at him in his head) Wonwoo and his friends was his priority. Sadly, that included no drinking and getting wasted beyond imagination was out of the question. But that was okay, he mused because someone had to be responsible and Mingyu was willing to take on the dad role if it kept Wonwoo safe, out of danger.

After checking his appearance in the full-body mirror in his bedroom, he hummed in acknowledgment, satisfied with the look and raked a hand through his perfectly styled hair, pushed back for good measure. It suited him the best, he'd thought as he grabbed a hoodie just in case (not really for himself but what if Wonwoo gets cold, whatever his outfit might be, so better be prepared for everything, right?) and reached for the car keys from the nightstand afterward.  
He left the room, feeling slightly giddy, not knowing fully what he got himself into but in anticipation for what the night had in store for him. He's got himself in for a long ride.

**[Friday, 07:12 pm] To: Wonu hyung**

_I'm on my way~_

 

  
There weren't many people out when Mingyu arrived at Yeri's place. Which was weird, considering that the area was packed with students from his Uni and it was Friday, too. The neighborhood was one of the nicer ones, quieter with a small convenience store just around the corner so Mingyu wasn't all that worried that Yeri would starve or suffer from sleep-deprivation. At least not from outside influences. It was different with the people she was living with. Though it shouldn't make a difference either way because as far as he was aware, her roommates weren't one of those people who loved to party and procrastinate. She had told him they even helped each other with assignments if they were in time pressure, held a study session with a box of pizza from time to time and Mingyu couldn't help but be envious of her a little bit; he'd been living on his own since he was eighteen. Don't get him wrong, he loved his apartment and the peace surrounding him but sometimes he got lonely and had no one to talk to when things got tougher. But now that Jaehyun had moved across from him, life got a bit more lively. He was thankful for that.

He passed by some people with drinks in their hands, laughing as they headed for the elevator in the hall. Probably on the way to a party, Mingyu mused, glancing over at the girls who sent him a few lingering looks and flirty winks. He chuckled to himself, a rush of pride swelling in his gut because he liked the attention, albeit a brief one.

Reaching the white door with a specific double number, he lifted a fist and gently knocked on the hard surface. It seemed to take no effect, Mingyu had come to find when no response was heard. There was a loud noise and voices screaming one over another though. One might think a murder was happening inside. It wasn't really that far from true.  
Noticing the doorbell on his right, Mingyu sighed and pressed the button. The noise had quieted down all of a sudden, interrupted by the rushed, quick steps coming closer by the second. Then the door was pushed open and Mingyu was met with a small person dressed in a very thin, transparent shirt. He wasn't sure if he should call that thing a shirt. He did recognize the person, however- Park Jimin. He was in his last year at Uni, dance major if he wasn't mistaken. Mingyu often saw him accompany Jeongguk at lunch, he was a very affectionate guy, clinging to people like a koala and as much as caring. The guy could be seen cheering loudly when his team had a game, too. His cheers were always the loudest in the crowd.

'Oh, Mingyu!' Jimin smiled widely, eyes forming into little crescents, already pushing him inside by the wrist. 'You're here!'

'Thank fuck.' Someone sighed heavily out of relief and Mingyu turned around to look for the source when he noticed Soonyoung waving at him from behind the spacious couch. He looked so tiny. Then a wild Chan popped up next to him and lifted his arm in greetings.

'What are you guys doing? Playing hide and seek?' Mingyu laughed but the two gulped before shaking their heads in unison, eyes wide in horror.

_What's going on here?_

'Well, you see-' Jimin tried to explain but got interrupted by a very loud and very angry voice coming from one of the rooms in the far back.

'I can't believe you did it just like _that_! What the fuck has gotten into you?' Mingyu flinched at the low growl ringing in his ears. 'How do you expect me to cover this up?'

'You don't! That's the point!'

'What the hell?'

The voices kept coming closer until Jeongguk sprinted out of the room, his hair tousled like he'd just had a fight and then a figure of someone familiar appearing behind him. Wonwoo. He was in a very similar state like his brother and didn't look very pleased. No, Mingyu could see the fury in his eyes and a scowl on his face making his nose scrunch up in annoyance. The older was also holding a choker, the one he'd worn the other day.  
A quick look over at the couch was all it took before figuring what was the reason for Soonyoung and Chan to cover themselves behind the couch like a pair of scared kids.

'That was really uncalled for,' Wonwoo said, voice back to its normal range but kept digging holes into his brother's forehead.

'I'm not apologizing for that,' the younger huffed, ignoring the way Wonwoo folded his arms on his chest, still frowning.

'Um, sorry to interrupt, but are you guys done fighting?' Soonyoung voiced out from behind the couch softly, squinting his eyes as he caught a glimpse of Wonwoo's face but his look softened a bit when the blond continued, 'our bodyguard's here already,' gesturing to Mingyu standing like a statue in the middle of the living room. The tall boy couldn't stop the blush creeping its way on his cheeks as he was being referred to as a bodyguard. Oddly enough, it made his chest swell with pride.

'Oh,' was all that left Wonwoo's mouth and Mingyu's chest tightened at the timid smile he received from the other. He returned the gesture, flashing one of his signature, toothy grins back at him with a little wave.

'Hi there.'

He saw Wonwoo jump slightly at the greeting directed at him and softly, he croaked out, 'hi', focusing his eyes anywhere but Mingyu.

How cute.

Jeongguk cleared his throat, furiously fixing his hair and wrinkled shirt before huffing out something incoherent and shuffling into the kitchen. Wonwoo, now acutely aware of being watched hastily fastened the choker around his neck, flushing a deep red when accidentally making eye contact with Mingyu. The older wasn't yet ready for the club, judging by the loose shirt too big for him and a pair of bright-colored jogging pants he was wearing. There was still time before the club had opened but Mingyu was afraid they might not make it in time when the air around the Jeon brothers was anything but clear.

'Uh, what happened between them?' He leaned down to whisper in Jimin's ear.

The shorter let out a nervous chuckle, whispering back. 'Let's just say that Gukkie made sure that Wonu doesn't get harassed at the club.'

Mingyu furrowed his brows. Vague explanation but okay.

'Hey Won, go change into something better,' Soonyoung shouted at his best friend, now in full stance not covering behind the couch anymore. 'This is far from looking sexy,' he made a disapproving face as his finger circled over the homey outfit his friend was wearing.

'I was planning to before this little shit decided-' Mingyu didn't hear the rest of the words since they got covered by the loud scream coming from Jimin as he found something on his phone very interesting. One of his arms flew into the air as he squealed something about his boyfriend sending him selfies.

'He's wearing the shirt I got for him oh my God, I can't wait to rip it off of him later!' He screamed happily as he bounced on his feet, making everyone laugh. 'We should get going soon, guys! Wonu-ya, go get changed into the clothes we've picked and no, Gukkie, he's not wearing the leather pants you were so worried over,' he pointed at the younger who sighed in relief but kept his brows knitted together.

'What about the top?'

Jimin looked over his shoulder as he walked over to push Wonwoo by his shoulders towards the boys' room. 'We're not changing it, of course.'

'But it's too revealing-!' He protested, flailing with his arms like a toddler and Mingyu had to control himself to not burst out laughing at the sight. Jeongguk could be seriously too childish sometimes. This side of him was rare but appreciated nonetheless.

'Calm your tits, Guk,' Soonyoung's amused voice cut the wails of protests, 'it's not like he's gonna put on that crop-top and suspenders we've wanted him to wear.' He giggled before disappearing inside the room together with Jimin and Wonwoo, leaving Jeongguk alone with Mingyu and Chan. It only left an uncomfortable silence fall upon them as no one dared to break the ice. Until Mingyu decided to get his shit together and just ask out loud.

'I suppose Yeri's not here?' Awkwardly, Mingyu shuffled with his feet but Jeongguk just shook his head, not bothering to look up from the fridge. He was rummaging through in search for something, food maybe?

'She went to Seulgi's birthday party with Joy noona,' he casually replied back, cracking a tiny smile as he took out a ceramic bowl, neatly covered in a plastic wrap. 'She's staying over the night there.'  
Mingyu hummed in response and took a seat Chan so generously and quietly offered to him. The kid was grinning at something on his phone, paying no mind to the awkward conversation both hyungs were having, legs fidgeting like those of an excited child.

'You're gonna go with us?'

Jeongguk then turned around to make eye contact with Mingyu, shaking his head.

'No, I have a game session planned out at Hansol's place. I wouldn't survive barely an hour with those party monsters in a club full of sweaty dudes anyway, so good luck with that.' There was a sinister tone in the younger's voice and Mingyu mentally prepared himself for what was to come.

He shuddered.

'There's always first time for everything, I guess,' he grimaced. Jeongguk seemed to enjoy the slightly frightened look on his fellow teammate. Dipping a finger into the bowl, he tasted the creamy substance, smacking his lips in approvement.

'Just make sure Wonu doesn't get assaulted and watch out for his drinks,' Jeongguk warned with a pointed glare. 'Dudes had tried to jinx his drinks too many times when he went out clubbing before, so keep an eye on your surroundings and the bartender, too.'

Mingyu swallowed a thick lump down his throat. He could understand well the concern reflecting on the younger's face. He'd be worried shitless if Yeri had gone clubbing, too.

'You got it.'

Jeongguk responded with a soft hum.

 

  
Ten minutes of silence later, the door of the boys' room finally opened and a pair of satisfied men walked into the living room, a couple of grins plastered on their faces like they've been cloned and Mingyu felt a pang of something uneasy in the pit of his stomach, suddenly fearing what could've the two done to his poor Wonwoo. Uh. Not _his_ , he shook his head, ashamed he even thought like this.

'We've successfully turned our Cinderella into a beauty of the century!' Soonyoung's cheerful voice cut the heavy air around them and he stepped aside with Jimin, making place for Wonwoo to walk in.

'What kinda introduction is that?' Mingyu laughed softly but his smile dropped the instant he saw 'the beauty' enter his peripheral vision, looking- alright, the blond wasn't kidding- beautiful. With a pair of skinny jeans so tight it looked like it was painted on his limbs and rips on all the right places, bits of smooth skin peeking through, seducing. As his eyes lingered upwards, he could see the shirt (not a crop-top, thank God), plain in color but it was just the right length with bat wings for the sleeves and collar so wide that if Wonwoo tried to ever bend down, you could literally see his bare, flat chest. In conclusion, the outfit wasn't really all that exposing- moderate even for a club; Mingyu had seen worse clothes on a guy before but something about Wonwoo looking all pretty and dolled up knocked the air out of his lungs and left him speechless. The best thing about all this though was the way the guys had styled Wonwoo's hair. It was parted in the middle, bangs falling to cover his left eye, laced with a thin line of an eyeliner, complimenting its sharpness and if Mingyu squinted a little harder, he could see the faint glint of the red eyeshadow on the upper lids as a cherry on top.

 _Pretty, alright._ With this look, the older could put any girl to shame.

Damn.

'You look fantastic, hyung!' It was Chan who smiled widely, flashing a thumbs up.

'Fuck yeah he does.' Mingyu wasn't even aware the words left his mouth like this. 'You guys did an amazing job.' Soonyoung hit himself in the chest with a fist, proud of his work and wiggled his eyebrows at Wonwoo who just rolled his eyes but blushed nonetheless. It was cute.

'He's right,' Jeongguk muttered, albeit hesitantly as he scanned his brother's appearance from head to toe, judging in silence.

Soonyoung raised a brow.

'But-?'

'Uh,' the brunet ran a hand through his hair, sighing, 'you guys made him too pretty,' he complained. 'I mean, he was always pretty but now he just reached a new level of pretty with that make-up and everything.' The rambling could've gone a long way if not for the burst of laughs erupting from the guys. All except his brother and Mingyu. The latter was too enraptured by the beauty before him, it kept drawing him closer like a light did to a moth.

Jeongguk brushed a swift finger over the satin of Wonwoo's choker, sighing. 'I should've planted more of these,' Mingyu heard him grumble under his breath and got a whack on his head from his brother.

'One is more than enough, Jesus. How do I explain it to Jaehyun?' Wonwoo nibbled at his bottom lip in worry, heaving a long sigh.

'I did that to protect you, you know-'

'Yeah, I'm aware but there was no need to, that's why we have Mingyu, remember?'

The younger spared a glance at the taller boy and sighed in defeat. 'I know. Just- make sure you stick close to him so no one lays their filthy hands on you,' Wonwoo nodded simultaneously with Mingyu who happened to overhear them. 'One more thing,' the younger paused to take a leather jacket hanging loosely on the bar stool to hand it to his brother who accepted it with a confused look. 'It's gonna get chilly at night,' Jeongguk wasn't looking when he mumbled the words, ears heating up in a shade of dark red. 'I know how you get cold easily.'

Hm, so the kid could be cute at times, Mingyu mused, smiling to himself at the affection.

'Well, you _can_ be a gentleman when you want to, eh?' Jimin teased, grinning widely, enjoying in full the squirms from his friend. 'Who would've known.'

'Oh shut it, hyung,' Jeongguk whined, blushing madly but managed to utter a tiny smile at his brother who had that fond look in his eyes.  
'Well, okay, I gotta go now,' he straightened his back, 'Hansol is gonna die of boredom and hunger if I don't show up at his door soon.' He ran a hand through his hair, checking briefly his reflection in the mirror in the hallway before slipping into a pair of comfortable shoes. 'I'll leave the apartment in your hands, guys. Just don't go wildin' in here, yeah? Go straight to sleep,' he raised a warning eyebrow at Soonyoung who pretended he's not there. 'And you too, Jiminnie hyung. Don't give Taehyungie early wrinkles.'

'Can't promise anything, Gukkie,' the smaller giggled and received a defeated sigh from his roommate.

As Jeongguk reached for the pocket of his hoodie he'd pulled over his head, whining as Wonwoo brushed some of his hair off of his forehead, he reached for the back pocket of his jeans to take something shiny out.  
'Don't sleep on the couch,' Jeongguk said with a pleading tone in his voice as he handed the spare keys to his brother, 'it's not good for your back.'

The look on Wonwoo's face softened at the words and he nodded, pulling the younger into a quick hug. 'I won't.'

Mingyu thought the sight was too domestic and cute, for it being actually the first time seeing the older initiate a hug but he supposed he was only affectionate because the person was his little brother. He could see they were fond of each other. The force Jeongguk had hugged his brother back was a solid proof of that.

Once the younger left the apartment, Mingyu let out a long breath, checking the time on his phone. He grimaced at his messenger app blowing up with Jaehyun's annoying texts.

**From: Jeffrey**

_Where's the pic of my princess?_

_Mingyu!! I'm dying over here!_

_Where. Is. It._

_Mingyu pleaseee_

Some of many messages said and Mingyu actually felt like a few years of his life were being taken away just by reading the texts from his friend. He didn't reply to any of them but he also knew he couldn't ignore the request. His phone couldn't handle all the spam.  
Turning around to face Wonwoo, who went to sit on the bar stool, Mingyu cleared his throat, cheeks already heating up from what he was about to ask.

'Wonwoo hyung?'

'Yes?' The older looked up to see him in the eyes and holy shit, Mingyu forgot to breathe for a second, baffled by how gorgeous his hyung looked. He was really out here to drag his gay ass out, huh.

'Uhm,' he almost choked on air, pressing his phone against his chest, 'this is kinda weird but Jae asked me to take a pic of your outfit, so if you could just- you know, strike a pose so I can send him one before he spams my phone with more demands, that'd be nice.' Mingyu was probably red as a tomato but Wonwoo was in a worse shape, the color of his cheeks went from pale to pink in a flash and he had to cup his face to cool it down a bit, surprised by the request.

'W-why would he want one though,' he stuttered and it was so cute, Mingyu had to bit his lip to prevent a smile from appearing.

'He probs want a motivation for his studies,' Soonyoung casually remarked from the other side of the room.

'But he already has plenty of those,' Wonwoo whined, 'he even took a shot of my ass, isn't that more than enough?'

_He what?_

Mingyu's jaw dropped a little.

'Your man has a very interesting skill of capturing nonexistent things on camera then.' Soonyoung got a pillow thrown his way, hitting him in the chest.

'That's not funny,' Wonwoo shot a glare at Jimin who quickly sealed his lips into a thin line and focused on finishing his sparkly make-up.  
'Uh, okay then, gimme that,' the older pointed to the phone Mingyu was holding, the redness not going away.

'Wait. Wonu, are you planning on taking a selfie yourself?' Soonyoung asked before the device was handed to him.

A frown.

'Yes?'

'Uh, why don't you leave it to Mingyu?'

Before Wonwoo could come with a remark, Chan piped up. 'Yeah, Mingyu hyung you take the pic, Wonu hyung can't take selfies for shit,' he laughed softly when Wonwoo feigned an offended gasp.

'Is he that bad?' Mingyu couldn't help but ask. The simultaneous nods he got almost made him laugh.

'Ugh. Do it quickly before I strangle the idiots to death,' Wonwoo's voice cut the light giggles from his friends as he waved his hand, beckoning the taller boy to come closer.

'Take a good one so Jae can _study_ better!' Soonyoung winked, a devilish smile creeping up on his face.

And so, per Soonyoung's instructions, Mingyu obliged, switching his phone to the camera mode, waiting for the other to make a pose. Standing close to Wonwoo who decided sitting with his legs tightly pressed together, hands folded in his lap seemed like a good idea, made Mingyu's heartbeat pound frantically against his ribcage. He didn't even comment on the awkward pose his hyung had chosen, focusing on capturing the beauty in front of him. He took a few shots, the last one being a close up of Wonwoo's face and he couldn't help the breathless whisper getting past his lips.

'Pretty.'

The blush spreading across the apples of Wonwoo's cheeks was all Mingyu could concentrate on and with shaky hands, he took a photo for himself.

 

  
With the three excited guys taking up space on the backseat, Jimin strategically sitting in the middle to prevent the younger ones eating each other's face, Mingyu could feel himself relax in his seat, fingers gripping the steering wheel tight. It wasn't as awkward as he'd thought it'd be. Certainly not when you put Soonyoung and Jimin together. The two were dancing with their hands flailing up in the air and singing to some pop song from Soonyoung's phone. The youngest of the bunch decided to join in so he wouldn't spoil the fun and the once silent air in the car got full of screaming guys. From the corner of his eyes, Mingyu could see Wonwoo's headache growing stronger with each high note behind his back. His dainty fingers kept massaging his temples and the number of sighs he let out was hard to count. There were just so many. Mingyu pitied the guy a little; Wonwoo wasn't really the most outgoing type of person and going to a club just to babysit a bunch of grown kids was the last thing he'd be doing on a Friday night. It was evident how much he'd rather stay home and cuddle his cat, even if he kept silent, not complaining about the situation.

'Sorry about them,' Mingyu raised a brow when he heard the apology, 'they always get too excited when they go clubbing. It's like their legs can't wait to stand on the dancefloor. Must be a dancer's kind of thing or something.' The sigh was there again and Mingyu just waved it off with a laugh.

'Nah, that's okay. I went to many parties to get used to it. This is nothing compared to some of my friends. They're loud but at least they're having fun, so why not let them?' He saw Wonwoo nod slowly, his fingers now playing with a silver ring on his right pinky. Was it always here? Mingyu backtracked in his memory but couldn't quite remember. Wonwoo always wore sweater paws so he could barely see his fingers on full display but he thought he'd seen something shiny on Wonwoo's pinky back at his apartment. A gift from Jaehyun, maybe? He mused, glancing to the side to take a quick look before returning his attention back to the road. Now that he thought about it, it wasn't all that impossible because the choker clasped around Wonwoo's slim neck had been Jaehyun's gift as well. He didn't know why but seeing the expensive thing glowing on the pale throat made his insides churn; not because the accessory looked better than it would ever look on his girlfriend, no. It was partly for the fact that the gift was from Jaehyun himself. And it didn't make sense, Mingyu shouldn't get heated up over something he shouldn't even be but he just couldn't help it. It might become a problem if he let bad thoughts eat him up.

'Nice ring,' he blurted out all of a sudden, startling Wonwoo, 'one of Jae's gifts?'

_Please say no._

Mingyu couldn't really see the shake of head beside him but he felt a nasty pang of relief washing off of him when hearing the reply.  
'Ah, no. My grandma gave it to me when I turned eighteen. It's a family heirloom,' he explained, a smile evident in his voice as he twirled with the ring. 'I wear it all the time, I'm surprised you've noticed just now,' he quirked a brow, 'you're not as observant as I thought.'

Mingyu pouted at the remark.

'I am,' he protested, steering the wheel a bit more aggressively, 'when I want to,' huffing, he blew a stray hair tickling the skin on his forehead and this time Wonwoo laughed out loud, his nose doing that cute scrunch up. It wasn't enough to cover the noises from the back but that was okay because Mingyu could bathe in the feeling that the cute laugh was reserved for him only.

They fell into a comfortable silence after that, well, if you soundproofed the noise coming from the backseat where the trio had a party of their own. Surrounded by excited people like them, Mingyu honestly started to enjoy himself even when he felt skeptical about this entire thing before.  
The automatic voice from his navigator informed he's close to their destination but he could guess just as much by the loud thumping coming from the building with a massive neon sign few meters away. From the distance, Mingyu was able to read it quite easily; _Apollo_ , it said and okay, that was a pretty normal name for a gay bar, he had to admit. Wonwoo started to fidget in his seat, fingers playing with the hem of his shirt, probably from the sheer nervousness. Absently, Mingyu reached out to give his thigh a reassuring pat, his palm burning from the sensation because holy shit, Wonwoo's skin was so _smooth_ it was unbelievable.

'Guys, we're here!' It was Jimin's cheery, high-pitched voice that screamed, finger pointing towards the flashy sign changing colors, blinking.  
Mingyu nodded, looking for the nearest parking lot. Surprisingly, there weren't many cars parked there, it was apparently better for people to come here by walking because they could drink their minds off. He was kind of envious. Gay bar or not, he'd like to get wasted either way. Too bad he couldn't. Maybe another time.

The instant he pulled his keys from the starter, Jimin pushed Soonyoung out into the open, a sudden brazen wind sneaking its way inside the car. Wonwoo shuddered as the cold licked at his nape, Jeongguk's jacket big on his willowy frame. He took it off when he got out and Mingyu wanted him to keep it because he promised he'd return the guy in one piece, unscathed. He couldn't afford the older getting a cold because he didn't keep the jacket on.

'The club's gonna get heated anyway, I don't want to melt in there,' was a nonchalant reply and Mingyu tried his best not to pout.

The loud thumping of some upbeat music was coming from inside the building, ringing loudly in Mingyu's ears and just when he was about to head towards the thickening queue gathering at the entrance, Jimin's overly excited voice stopped his feet.

'Okay guys,' he smiled, hands digging into his manly bag he'd brought with him, 'before I leave your asses here so I can finally meet up with my boyfriend and make-out,' Soonyoung whistled at that, 'I wanna share a little something with you because I'm feeling generous today.' Mingyu's brow shot up in surprise when he saw a tiny bottle filled with something shiny inside. A glitter? Surely they didn't think he'd use that on himself-

'Yay! Sparkles!' Soonyoung cheered as he clicked the bottle open, immediately squirting some on his fingers to smear it over the bits of Chan's exposed skin. The youngest giggled, squirming because it was kind of cold and gratefully returned the favor back. Mingyu rolled his eyes but smiled nonetheless; the guys were too cute.

'Won! You take some, too! Make Mingyu sparkle!' The giggly laugh will probably haunt Mingyu for the rest of his life.

'No,' was Wonwoo's stern answer but the bottle was already in his grasp, a little of the silver substance leaking onto his fingers.

'It's okay, go on,' Mingyu surprised himself with his laid-back response, cocking an eyebrow at the older who hesitantly shuffled closer and sighed. The shiver as a pair of lithe fingers scraped the glitter over the length of his arms, made Mingyu a bit giddy. Wonwoo felt cold against his burning skin. He almost flexed his muscles for the older to feel them up but that would make him a show-off so Mingyu bit his lip instead, focusing on Wonwoo's pretty, blushing face. Noticing the intense stare, his hyung drew a long line of glitter down the taller boy's biceps in a hurry so they all could finish up and just go to the damn club.  
Mingyu thanked the older with a smile, admiring the handiwork, his skin bathed in silver, shining under the faint light of the street lamp. It was actually the first time he did something crazy like this. He loved it, though. It looked nice. _Wonwoo's fingers were nice._

'Uh, now that's all done, can we just go? The line is getting endless,' Wonwoo whined audibly upon seeing the swarm of people on the other side of the street, pressing onto each other like sardines in a can. Ew.

'We can after we get you all covered up, too.' He didn't even notice Mingyu grabbed the bottle from his grasp and invaded his personal space to get a fair amount of glitter spreading over his exposed collarbones. Wonwoo looked up at the culprit, eyes wide because he didn't expect the younger could be this daring.

'W-what do you think you're doing?' He stuttered a little, ready to swat the big, _big_ hand off of him before it could cause a reaction in his body.

'Making you sparkle, of course.'

There was a loud snort behind him.

'Do you have a death wish?'

Mingyu just grinned, totally unfazed by the low threat at his person and smeared some more along the protruding bones. The skin was smooth there, it almost felt like he was touching a girl. Wonwoo took care of his body really well.

Once satisfied with his work, Mingyu threw the glitter bottle back to Jimin who caught it like a pro despite the laugh of his life he'd been having for a couple of minutes. The trio was having the fun of their lives at Wonwoo's expense, clutching their stomachs so tight they had to bend over. Wonwoo's feline eyes were shooting bullets at them, beet red in the face from anger and embarrassment. He huffed out an annoyed _'dickheads'_ , not forgetting to smack Mingyu on the chest. It didn't sting because the touch was light, drawing a playful smirk on the younger's face.

'What can I say, I live for the thrill,' he shrugged nonchalantly, the smugness in his voice making Wonwoo's eyes roll.

 

  
The club was packed. Mingyu didn't even have the chance to observe the interior because all he could see were bodies of unknown people, taking up space of the entire dancefloor, the colorful beaming lights falling on their skin, creating some sort of a rainbow. He felt out of place and overwhelmed, being unfamiliar with this kind of surrounding and it made him nervous.  
Jimin had left the moment he spotted his boyfriend, leaving them in a dust and the other couple followed shortly after to sit at the only booth available. So it was just him and Wonwoo, standing awkwardly near the bar where they could have a nice view on the people dancing to their hearts' content.

'Do you wanna grab a drink at the bar?' Surprisingly, it was Wonwoo who suggested it, looking up with those pretty eyes of his and who was Mingyu to refuse. Nodding, he let the older take a seat on the nearest bar stool, checking the line of alcohol on the shelf behind the bartender's back. He was craving some vodka mixed with anything but he had to satisfy himself with just looking at the inviting amount of alcohol, for the sake of a safe drive back home.  
Wonwoo asked the handsome bartender for a glass of soda with a shy smile, turning to the side, waiting for Mingyu's choice of order.

'I'll have the same.' He ignored the elegantly shaped brow quirking at the order but the man got to work without a word of complaint, sliding two high glasses filled with the bubbly drink their way. Wonwoo thanked diligently like a good boy, wrapping his lips around the pink straw that came with his order. There was a moment when Mingyu's mind was weak as he imagined his lips switching place with the straw. He quickly buried the thought deep in the back of his mind. That was dangerous.

They sat at the bar drinking down soda which was too sweet for his liking but he ordered two more bottles so the bartender could serve other guests. Mingyu had decided on filling Wonwoo's glass personally so the older wouldn't get his drinks rigged by some pervert lusting over his body. Making sure he wouldn't get assaulted was the main reason he hadn't had one drop of alcohol anyway. The urge to order one was tempting though. But Mingyu had a strong resolve. What choice he had otherwise? He didn't want to end up dead.  
So he stared at the kiddie drink, drawing on the glassed surface while watching over Wonwoo seated next to him. The older was playing with his choker, eyes casted down as he mumbled something under his breath. However, it was loud enough for Mingyu's ears to reach.

'I swear I'll strangle Gukkie and throw his corpse in the Han river if he doesn't stop being a possessive brat,' Wonwoo sighed, fingers clutching his glass in a tight grip.

Mingyu tilted his head, curious.

'What do you mean?'

He did hear of Jeongguk's protectiveness towards his older brother (he'd had the honor to experience a bit of that once) but it sounded so overreacted from Jaehyun's point of view. He gulped down his glass in one go, eyes glued on Wonwoo's dainty fingers playing with his choker. Mingyu thought the older was nervous but then he actually unfastened the black thing and just when it slid down his slim neck a bit, he seriously choked on air. It was barely visible due to lights switching colors in the club but if Mingyu tried a little harder, he could see the angry red mark on the left side of Wonwoo's neck, near his Adam's apple. The younger had to blink to see if his eyes weren't deceiving him. They weren't. The ugly hickey was there. It was clear enough after Wonwoo spoke again.

'Jeongguk gave me a fucking _hickey_ because he was worried I might get snatched by some old pervert, can you believe it? I almost had a stroke, it hurt so much,' he complained, pouting. 'I hope it disappears before Jaehyun notices,' he whined and put the choker back in place. Ah. So this was the reason behind the heated conversation both brothers had between them back at Jeongguk's apartment.

Damn. Talk about possessive.

'Your brother _is_ very territorial,' Mingyu finally admitted, pouring some more of the sizzling liquid for both himself and his hyung. He ignored the bartender's raised eyebrow but Mingyu shrugged it off, his attention now fully aimed at Wonwoo. As much as he wanted to get shitfaced, securing the older's safety was his priority and he couldn't do shit to protect him while wasted. Jaehyun would skin him if something should happen to his 'princess'. He'd already got a few reminders in the form of a series of texts, filling in his messenger app. The selfie he'd so generously taken apparently wasn't enough. Mingyu had to put his phone on silent, the device only vibrating against his thigh from the number of received messages. Jaehyun apparently had too much time on his hands, because texting your friend was a more interesting thing to do than to study for exams. He sighed, eyeing the bubbles sizzling on the surface of his drink he'd ordered for both him and Wonwoo.

A kid's drink, really.

'You can order something stronger than soda, you don't need to hold back because of me- I can drive you guys back just right,' Wonwoo said off matter then, sipping on his non-alcoholic drink.

'It's fine,' Mingyu shook his head, 'I'm not really in the mood to get wasted.' _Lies._ 'And no way in hell I'd let you drive my car, we might be a soon to be family but I don't trust your driving skills, no offense,' he smirked.

'How rude.' A sudden pout drew along Wonwoo's lips and Mingyu almost fell off the bar stool laughing. 'I'm a very careful driver, mind you. Dare I say, better than you,' he playfully stuck out his tongue at him.

'Oh yeah, whatever you say,' Mingyu teasingly patted the bony shoulder, feeling hot under his palm and he withdrew with a jolt. It must've been the atmosphere in the club and crowded space full of sweaty bodies, clouding the air with heavy warmth. Mingyu could feel himself getting hot just by sitting on the bar stool with a fucking soda on the table. It was really heated in there. Well, at least Wonwoo didn't need to be concerned about getting cold anymore. The guy seemed to get giddier after his second glass of the ordered soda; his legs, barely reaching the floor because the stool was too high, were doing some weird footwork, following the rhythm of the beat. His head started to bob to some old school dance song the DJ had chosen and Mingyu saw him lipsyncing to the chorus. It was interesting, he kind of expected that the older would just sit back in the booth, preferring to watch his friends getting plastered instead. But Wonwoo was doing exactly the opposite. Shifting in his seat, he pushed the emptied glass the bartender's way, making a brief eye contact with Mingyu before saying something the younger had never expected him to say.

'Well, if you ever want to check on me, I'll be grinding on some random guy on the dancefloor,' Wonwoo casually informed with a shrug, hopping off the bar stool to make his way from the bar to the crowded dancefloor. His hips swayed a little in a seductive wave and judging by the large number of hungry stares he was receiving around confirmed that Mingyu had to keep an eye on him real close. He didn't want to face Jaehyun's wrath.

 

  
It's been a good while since Mingyu watched someone dance so sensually; the last time it had happened was in high school on the night of his prom and the girl he was partnered with danced so smoothly, riling everyone up with her performance, Mingyu included. He had taken her that night and it was the best laid ever since.  
The memory quickly faded away though, as he kept his eyes focused firmly on Wonwoo's lithe body, moving effortlessly against someone Mingyu didn't know. The older wasn't kidding when he said he was going to grind against some dude; his ass was practically riding the guy's clothed groin, his head tilted to the side, exposing pale skin on his neck; and even though Mingyu was a good few meters away, he could see Wonwoo's eyes flutter shut for a moment- lost in the rhythm of the song. It was mesmerizing, watching his friend's boyfriend dance not so shyly with a stranger. The image of a blushing guy in pastel-colored sweaters, too big for his willowy frame was slowly being replaced by the demon in tight jeans that made his ass look like it could give you a good ride and sultry eyes that screamed 'sin'. It must've been the soda he's been drinking for Wonwoo to act like this; carefree and God, pardon his language, _so fucking sexy_. Mingyu, despite the swarm of gay people around, found himself enjoying the view. He wondered what would Jaehyun do if he ever seen this. Just thinking about it left a bad feeling in his gut. He shuddered. Wonwoo was now pressed against someone else, lost in his own world but Mingyu noticed creepy hands grabbing his ass hungrily.  
Even as the song ended and Wonwoo was going for a break, the guy held him tight, whispering something that had him shudder in what Mingyu could guess was disgust. Hands were everywhere on his body, pestering like an annoying bug and there was distress visible on the older's face.  
Blood boiled in Mingyu's veins and before he knew it, he was making his way to the dancefloor. He wasn't sure why he did it, maybe it was the slight dizziness from the lights switching colors and messing with his eyesight; or because Wonwoo kept grinding like some professional on people who were clearly predators after his body. Either way, he soon found himself behind the older, a nasty glare pointed towards the man that was harassing him.

'Who's this uncle, _baby boy_?' He whispered lowly into Wonwoo's ear, tucking stray strands of hair behind the earlobe in the process; earning him a surprised twitch from the pervert. He might've been in his thirties, he guessed. Tall, but not yet reaching Mingyu's height. Quite handsome, too if not for the sleazy behavior towards his hyung.  
Wonwoo visibly flinched as he recognized the voice but decided to play along. Leaning his weight on the taller, he shook his head. He resisted the urge to turn around because he wasn't ready for the encounter with those eyes. Mingyu sounded _angry_ and it was sending chills down his spine. He also wasn't prepared for the pair of large hands slipping under his shirt so casually, resting on his hips. He wanted to shake them off but he was held firmly in place.

Mingyu was still glaring at the stranger. 'Is he bothering you?' He growled, fingers caressing warm skin beneath the thin fabric of the shirt. Jaehyun was right; Wonwoo's body was soft and sensitive, judging from the slight shiver his hands caused. Quite a pleasurable reaction, in his opinion. Holding him wasn't uncomfortable in the least, Mingyu had thought. Be it someone else he would've flipped but the warmth radiating from the smaller body sent tingling sensation down his spine. Mingyu wasn't interested in guys per se (well, maybe except for one) but _God_ , that body felt nice pressed against him. Jaehyun better treat his boyfriend right or he'll come for his ass.

'No,' Wonwoo breathed out, afraid of facing the younger, 'he was about to leave.' His lip quivered and it was so embarrassing but the stranger bought their act quite easily, partly because Mingyu looked intimidating with eyes piercing holes through his body.

'Is that so?' And there it was; the low, possessive tone- similar to the one Jaehyun had used more than once; to chase the bugs away. It was so foreign hearing it from a straight guy like Mingyu but the rumble in his throat every time he opened his mouth to speak felt really good, making Wonwoo's body all giddy.  
The old man muttered a hurried excuse before disappearing into the crowd, as quickly as possible.

'Thanks, I thought he was gonna eat me alive.'

Mingyu threw his head back in laughter, getting a surprised gasp in return from the older. Wonwoo was still turned with his back leaning on Mingyu's front, feeling his abs clench from laughing.

'It's my job to keep you safe, _princess_.' The mocking of Wonwoo's pet name earned him a painful jab to his ribs and damn, Wonwoo's elbow was sharp as a razor. _Must be because of his bony body_ , Mingyu nodded to himself, smiling like an idiot.

Wonwoo then turned around to face him, upset. 'If you ever call me _that_ again, I swear I'll chop your dick off,' he hissed warningly. But to Mingyu the older looked like a tiny kitten threatening him with its fluffy paws. He might be exaggerating but he was stupid enough not to feel pressured by the other's 'scary' aura. He lifted his hands in defeat though, as an apology which was accepted with a silent glare from Wonwoo's side.

Meanwhile, the DJ had decided to tame the wild mess on the dancefloor, switching the song to a slower one, forcing some couples that got too heated up to leave the tight space and find an available seat at the booth section. Probably to make out, Mingyu had thought. He was still standing in the middle of the spotlight with Wonwoo fidgeting on the spot. Soon after he started to bounce on his feet with that sparkle in his eyes. It had Mingyu looking down at him with a huge question mark flashing across his face.

'I think the DJ is a telepath. They keep playing my fav songs,' Wonwoo confessed with a tiny sign of a smile tugging at his lips.

'Didn't peg you for a Bryan Adams' fan.'

Wonwoo honored him with a pointed glare. 'Shut up, I love his ballads.'

It made Mingyu chuckle. He sounded so serious. And cute.

'Well then, you wanna dance?' He offered with a shrug. It was meant partly as a joke. He didn't think he'd get an actual reply.

'A-are you okay with this?'

 _'Are you?'_ Mingyu shot the question back at him.

Wonwoo looked down in silence and Mingyu thought he'd back away but then a weight pushed onto his front and thin arms circled around his neck. The sudden act had him stumble backwards, almost losing his footing but he was able to pull it off and straighten up.  
Shaking, Mingyu put his hands on Wonwoo's waist, appropriately like he was taught in his dance class and let out a long breath to calm his nerves. It was just a little dance. No need to get so worked up, he reminded himself. Wonwoo sighed audibly then, burying his face into the crook of Mingyu's neck, his hair tickling the younger on the chin. The song was slow and so were their movements. They kept pacing around in uneven circles, not sparing a word as the silence surrounded their bodies like an invisible cloak. Mingyu held Wonwoo close, intertwining his fingers around the small of his back, hoping the latter didn't hear the embarrassingly loud pounding of his heart trying to break free through his ribs. It was really nice, sharing the warmth of another body and Mingyu felt his ears go red as Wonwoo muttered, softly against the skin on his neck.

'So warm.'

Even as the song ended, they stayed pressed close, chest to chest. Mingyu made no moves to push himself away, too caught up in the heat of whatever this was. The slow beat of the song switched to a more upbeat one and the bodies around them started to get a bit wilder each passing second.  
Mingyu dared to look down at Wonwoo who unwrapped his thin arms from the younger's neck and let them loosely rest against his sides. He moved a step back, the blush suddenly making its appearance, bringing color to his normally pale cheeks.

'You okay?' Mingyu asked, noticing the slight shiver as his hyung pressed his thighs together, squirming in place.

'No, my bladder is about to burst,' a whine left Wonwoo's mouth, fingers twirling with the hem of his shirt in an adorable manner. 'I had too many drinks,' he complained and Mingyu laughed at the sulky tone in his voice. 'I'll just take a quick run for the bathroom, okay?'

'Yeah, don't take long,' Mingyu patted him on the shoulder, 'I'll wait at the booth over there.'  
He got a nod and the only thing the younger could see was the slim outline of Wonwoo's figure being swallowed by the thick crowd. He would've accompany him but he could be at least a bit decent and not follow his every step like an overly attached puppy. Bathrooms were not that much of a threat anyway.

Sighing, Mingyu strolled away to sit down in the booth Soonyoung had been occupying with his boyfriend until a while back, looking out for the waiter. He needed a drink.

'Hey handsome.'

The high-pitched voice belonged to none of his friends and Mingyu was met with an unfamiliar face. He greeted back with a nod, not wanting to seem rude and impolite. The stranger, however, took his response as a sign to plop down on the leather seat, crossing his legs while sending flirty glances at him.

'Aren't you feeling a little lonely, sitting by yourself while everyone is having fun?'

Mingyu was used to being constantly hit on whenever he appeared at a party and the attention worked wonders on his ego but this person here had a dick between his legs so you can imagine the sheer discomfort as the guy with a pierced lip scooted closer in the seat next to him, invading his personal space.

'Well, I'm here with friends so,' he pointed at the duo dancing along the rhythm of a currently played song, making the dancefloor theirs. The guy followed the direction of Mingyu's finger before chuckling lightly in that sweet voice of his.

'But they're not really sitting here with you, are they? You look like you could use some company, drinking alone isn't exactly the best thing you can do in a club,' his grin grew feral, 'there are better things to do besides that, you know. I can show you.'  
Mingyu shifted uncomfortably at the hand sneaking over his clothed thigh.

'Uh, I think I'll pass,' he declined with a polite smile, trying his best not to break the fingers ghosting over his thigh.

'Why not? There's no harm in getting some fun, right?' He leaned in to whisper in his ear. 'I've been told I'm really good with my mouth, I'll make sure it'll be worth your time.'

Mingyu felt like throwing up. The filthy words the guy had been spewing were honestly making his stomach churn.

God, this guy was persistent.

'I'm sorry but-' Mingyu didn't get the chance to finish when someone interrupted softly.

'Hey, Gyu, I'm back.'

There was no mistake that the voice belonged to Wonwoo who came back just at the right time, putting a fresh bottle of soda with two glasses on the table. Mingyu wondered what took him so long but didn't pry on it further. He saw the long line crowding around the bathroom stalls.  
The guy, ever so insistent and annoying, quirked one of his elegantly shaped eyebrows upon seeing the tall newcomer, seizing him up and down. Finding the possible competition not interesting, he turned his attention back to Mingyu who was sending alarming looks at his hyung. Wonwoo seemed to get the gist of the situation, fixing his bangs still covering his left eye before closing the space between him and the younger.

Mingyu's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when Wonwoo slipped boldly onto his lap, one of his arms flying up to curl around his neck. He shot a nasty glare at the stranger, swatting the intrusive hand away.

'Hands off of my man, bitch.'

There was a moment when Mingyu thought he'd burst out laughing but all that came out was a pathetic snort and an arm securing around the tiny waist. He realized he did it on instinct and would've backed off but since the persistent guy was still present, he had to look confident in the fake boyfriend scenario. Well- he'd started it in the first place, so might as well finish it with a bang.  
Leaning in, Mingyu tightened the hold, whispering, 'what took you so long baby, I was getting lonely,' against Wonwoo's exposed shoulder. A hand came up to squeeze the one stroking his abdomen as Wonwoo, with his blank face pointed towards the stranger, replied back.

'There was an ass-long queue in the toilets, some guys were making out in the stall slowing the line,' he rolled his eyes.

'Could've been us.' Mingyu grinned at him in response. He heard Wonwoo giggle, he could tell it was genuine, and flush a pretty pink, immediately striking Mingyu with how beautiful the older looked even when embarrassed.

'You're still here?' Wonwoo cocked an eyebrow at the guy who seemed to be quick on his feet, scooting away, persuaded by the little act they had pulled on him.

_Fucking finally._

'I know when to give up,' he said rather irritated, slowly getting up from the seat and Mingyu thought, _really?_ because the dude had been anything than giving up. 'I'll be at the bar if you ever get bored of your boy toy.' He sent a wink at Mingyu, making him shift in discomfort. He hated persistent people.  
Wonwoo didn't sass back at the guy, just kept glaring at his direction before he was out of sight and then immediately hid his face in his hands, embarrassed by the way he acted. Red behind his ears, he resembled a tomato more than anything else but still managed to be the cutest guy in the whole club if Mingyu was being honest.

'I can't believe I just swore at a stranger,' he squeaked and Mingyu laughed at that, totally blown away at the change of behavior.

'Whatever it was, you helped me to get that dude off my ass so thanks, _love_.' Teasingly, he poked Wonwoo in the rib, getting a whiny _'ugh'_ in response.

'I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable,' the older gestured to the compromising position he got them in but Mingyu shook his head no. It should be him asking the question, honestly.

'Nah, I kinda like the skinship, it's nice,' he looked up with a grin.

Wonwoo turned over his shoulder, his cheeks bright red. Mingyu noticed his lithe fingers playing with themselves, out of nervousness, maybe? Or he was just bored or something. He wasn't sure.

'Okay, so then-' Wonwoo inhaled in a deep breath, 'would it be fine with you if we stayed like this for a little while?' He mumbled the words into his palms, clearly embarrassed to the bone to even look at him but who was Mingyu to refuse. He shifted in the seat, casually pulling Wonwoo by the waist closer so his back ended up pressed against his chest.

'I don't mind as long as it keeps the pervs away from both of us,' he shrugged but his heart almost stopped beating from the close proximity.

Wonwoo's stiff body seemed to relax at that. 'It's just that you're so warm, I might fall asleep,' he smiled, eyes already drowsy.

'You can do that here?!'

Wonwoo giggled and shifted, pulling away for a second to reach out for his drink on the table.

And then it happened.

It was an accident, really; as Wonwoo, still seated on Mingyu's lap reached out for his drink, strangely content with sharing his body warmth with any other than his boyfriend and Mingyu's eyes ended up following the swift movement of the other's shirt riding up, his gaze lingering down the exposed skin of his back, stopping only at the pink outline of something lacey and he realized too fast that Wonwoo was wearing panties- _fucking panties_ and the fact caught him so off guard he started to choke on his spit, coughing heavily from the lack of air in his lungs. It got only worse as the coughing intensified, resulting in a full-body shudder. Because of that unfortunate act, he's got Wonwoo bouncing on his lap and it was so obscene and wrong and _okay, kind of hot, too_ but then Wonwoo with his drink successfully in hand looked over his shoulder with a worried expression.

'You okay?'

Mingyu got red in the face, ashamed of all the dirty his brain had been producing when the guy literally saved his ass from an uncomfortable situation and he flailed with his arms in the air like a toddler, choking out between coughs that it's nothing, 'just a bad swallow is all' and a huge boulder had been lifted off of his shoulders when he saw Wonwoo nod and take a last sip from his drink. Then his eyes casted down to look at the source of his bouncing and Mingyu, too self-conscious of his actions got even redder if that was possible and croaked out an apology, immediately putting a halt to his wild foot movements.

'Sorry, I-'

'Keep doing that.' Wonwoo encouraged him, his hand slightly patting Mingyu's knee.

'Um-'

'I'm sorry but I'm tired and you're so warm,' Mingyu saw the drowsiness take over the older's features, softening his angular face around the edges. He resembled a really cute, sleepy baby. 'Daddy used to do this when I had problems with falling asleep,' he mumbled with a cute pout and Mingyu nearly choked on air again.  
Seriously though, he wasn't sure if he should cry or coo; cry because Wonwoo had just called his father daddy like he was five years old or coo at the adoring way he'd said it with.

Still, who the fuck falls asleep in a club full of loud music? Mingyu almost asked but the weight of Wonwoo's body as he leaned back, cuddling into his warmth while still on his lap- eyes closed, made Mingyu swallow the words down his throat. He tried not to think about the sweet fruity scent Wonwoo's skin was soaked in, invading his nostrils and chose to look out for the others instead; searching for Soonyoung and Chan. The guys were dancing wildly to some nineties song, bodies pressed together, sweaty but laughing nonetheless. Judging by the tint on their cheeks, they've filled their throats with some good liquor before blasting the dancefloor with their intimate dancing. Chan looked tipsy at most but Soonyoung- well, things might get a bit hairy getting him into bed later.

He chuckled.

 

  
For the past hours, (Mingyu had lost count of how many) he kept rocking Wonwoo on his lap, the older deep in his slumber, unaware of all the chaos around him. He really did fall asleep in a fucking club but who cares. Mingyu was just glad that he made Wonwoo comfortable around him, enough for him to use his body as a mattress. Suppressing the urge to rake his fingers through the silky hair, Mingyu shifted in his seat to take his phone out. There were no new messages after the ones his friend had sent him and he had to delete every single one. Mingyu's mood dropped upon seeing the blank space under the text he'd sent his girlfriend. Looking out for her was part of his responsibility as a boyfriend but judging by the lack of response whatsoever, Dahyun must've been having fun at the party. _Good for her, I guess._ He sighed and waved his hand at the waiter who looked his way.  
The man came back with a bottle of soda, not commenting about the choice of drink anymore but couldn't help a knowing smirk from appearing on his face. Mingyu quirked a brow at him as he poured himself a glass, not missing the soft, _'good luck with him'_ , from the waiter's lips. The 'he' was obviously Wonwoo, the guy still half-dead with his head turned to the side, nuzzling into Mingyu's right cheek who blushed an embarrassing shade of red. Before he could deny whatever the man was implying, the older stirred in his sleep and shifted, changing the position. Mingyu honestly had no idea how that happened but all of a sudden he had Wonwoo turning his whole body just to end up face to face with the younger, legs straddling his thighs. His eyes, heavy-lidded fell shut afterwards and Mingyu could feel the air being knocked out of his lungs when Wonwoo brought his arms up to circle them around Mingyu's neck like a snake. A soft hum left those kitten lips and the younger had to take a long sip from his drink to soothe his suddenly dry throat.

What the actual heck had just happened?

Mingyu prayed to every God and deity that the older didn't notice the excited twitch his traitor of a dick gave as Wonwoo wiggled his ass in search of better comfort on his lap.

Panic had started to fill in his whole being, head spinning in circles because what the fuck? There was absolutely no way he'd just popped a boner because of some dude unconsciously grinding down on him. He did have something akin to a man crush for the guy but never to that extent.

_Until now._

Those weird things kept occurring and Mingyu had to physically distract himself and his dick from pouncing at the sleeping beauty straddling his thighs. Pictures of cute dogs caught in the middle of doing even more cute things could work.  
Except they didn't. Not that night and certainly not ever if the straining and the very much obvious bulge in his pants kept brushing against the clothed crevice of Wonwoo's tiny ass. The actions of his traitorous dick weren't part of the plan.  
He cursed under his breath, mumbling silent threats to his crotch but to no avail. It was so obvious by now it'd be a miracle if Wonwoo didn't notice something pressing against his ass. But the older seemed to be deep in his slumber, breath even, tickling the skin on Mingyu's neck. He wasn't sure how long he could cope with the cute boy nuzzling into his warmth.  
So the arrival of Chan dragging a very clingy and very plastered Soonyoung to their booth came in like a prayer.  
The blond burst out giggling at the sight of his best friend sleeping on Mingyu's lap, teasing them a bit before he was shushed by his boyfriend. Chan wasn't drunk enough for his walk to waver but Soonyoung on the other hand, kept slipping away, swaying on his spot beside the younger.

'Ya two look so cute together,' he slurred, grinning. Mingyu prayed to God no one noticed the embarrassing blush spreading across his cheeks. Thanks to the lights switching colors in the club he was able to cover it up.  
'Wonu-yaaaa,' Soonyoung shouted at the boy who was now starting to stir in his sleep, eyes blinking slowly before opening fully and he turned his head to the side, pouting when seeing the state his friend was in.

'What is it?' He mumbled, rubbing his eyes cutely, not moving an inch from Mingyu's lap.

'You look like you could use some more sleep, hyung,' Chan piped up, holding Soonyoung in place so he wouldn't end up latching onto his friend in an attempt of free cuddles.

'Yeah,' Mingyu agreed, patting the bone of the older's hip. 'It's almost one in the morning,' he quickly checked the time on his phone, 'we should call it quits. Soonyoung hyung doesn't look like he can dance anymore.'

Chan smiled, relieved and supported his boyfriend by the waist. He got a nod from Mingyu who was free once more as Wonwoo shuffled away from his lap albeit groggily, face laced with sleep.

'Go ahead with them, I'll pay for the drinks and meet you outside, yeah?' He was talking to Wonwoo who responded with a bob of his head and went to help Chan walk his best friend out.  
All Mingyu could see were the backs of the guys and glancing down to his crotch, he let out a relieved sigh as the boner had died on its own completely.

Maybe God had mercy on him, after all.

 

  
The night had gotten chilly after the five hours they spent in the club and Mingyu, always the courteous guy, pulled a blanket from the car's trunk, handing it to Chan who managed to push his drunk boyfriend inside the vehicle. Soonyoung didn't protest one bit, just shifted his upper body and laid his head down on Chan's lap.  
Mingyu took a glance at the back seat where the couple cuddled each other and then back at Wonwoo who dozed off the moment he buckled up. Without any word, he started the engine and drove them off to Jeongguk's place.

Soonyoung managed to throw up once before they reached the door to the deserted apartment. Wonwoo had paper bags ready and like the good friend he was, he waited for the blond to empty his stomach into the bag, throwing it into the nearest trash bin. Mingyu walked the guys all the way inside, flashing a worried look at Soonyoung who relied on the strength of his boyfriend's shoulders, leaning in for support. The sickly pale color taking over his face showed he was close to throwing up again so Wonwoo quickly ushered Chan to take the other to the bathroom.

Mingyu watched Wonwoo tuck Soonyoung into bed carefully like mothers did with their children and the sight made his chest swell. It showed how much Wonwoo cared for his best friend. Chan slipped into the bottom bunk beside the blond, mouthing a quiet _'good night, hyungs'_ laced with sleep and disappeared under the thick blanket he pulled over their heads.

They left the room in quiet steps after that, leaving the couple sleep in peace.

'Is he gonna be okay?' Mingyu asked, nibbling at his nail in worry.

'I'll make sure he doesn't choke himself in his sleep, don't worry,' Wonwoo reassured him softly, suppressing a yawn. He still looked extra tired, the short nap he took during the ride made him even more sleepy. Mingyu could see the slight sway in his body as he leaned on the wall for support.  
'Thank you for today, by the way. It was fun.' Wonwoo said with a smile before tiptoeing, closing the space between him and Mingyu. He leaned in to plant a quick kiss on Mingyu's cheek.

It happened so fast. The younger had no time to get a decent reply out of himself because Wonwoo had already disappeared inside, shutting the door close, leaving Mingyu standing in the hallway rooted on the spot with a shocked expression and a pounding heart.

Slowly, he placed a palm over the slightly wet skin on his cheek.

It burned hot.

Mingyu had no idea how he got home after that. The burning sensation of Wonwoo's soft lips left on his cheek made his mind clouded and hazy, a flow of thoughts spiraling in circles. It was so unexpected, the innocent action caught him off guard if he was being honest but it just left him craving for more. For something less innocent.

Walking around the apartment like a ghost, Mingyu made it to the bedroom at last, stripping off of his clothes in the process and plopped down on the neatly tidied bed. The mattress cracked a sound under his heavy body and Mingyu let out a long, strained sigh, cuddling into the sheets with closed eyes and one hell of a mess in his brain, the image of a pair of kitten lips slowly creeping its way into his dream.

 

*****

 

_The curtain is not closed when Mingyu wakes up feeling hot all of a sudden, the weight of something unfamiliar making his breath shaky and skin flush. He's sitting on his bed, naked, and sweaty. It's confusing but a sudden jerk beneath him makes his eyes snap open._

_His vision is blurry when he looks down, blinking slowly to accustom to the sudden spurt of light only to make out of a curvy outline of an unfamiliar body shape, more delicate and smaller than his own. Dahyun, maybe? He isn't sure. The person laying under him, however, is emitting such warm aura around them, pulling him closer and Mingyu wants to claim the warmness to himself only. It feels strangely good and somewhat calming in a sense, even though he has his cock surrounded by the tight walls of the person's insides, he now realizes. They're clenching around him so deliciously and despite their unknown origin, Mingyu doesn't want to stop. It feels too good to stop._

_He moves forward, feeling the pair of thin legs encircled around his waist shudder by the boldness of his act as Mingyu finds a better angle. He goes in deeper and this time, he can see clearly the_ faceless _person underneath him. He blinks, taken aback by surprise and there's a shift when he takes in the features on the person's face again._  
_It soon turns into a familiar one; the body takes a narrow shift on the hips, and Mingyu can feel bony fingers clutching desperately on his biceps as he buries himself deeper in the tight heat. The once muted gasps turn into something vocal; deep voice rasing into high pitched moans with each thrust; and when Mingyu opens his already heavy with lust eyes, it's a nameless person no more- the body tightens painfully around his cock, drawing a strained breath out of him as Mingyu whispers, breathless._

_'Wonwoo.'_

_Pale cheeks are covered in rosy color; just like the rest of his body due to immense heat, Wonwoo dares to look at his lover through half-lidded eyes, wetting his lips oh so slowly as if torturing the other. His hands, Mingyu notices, are hidden under the long sleeves until the tips of his fingers are visible, silver ring still around his right pinky. The pressure on his arms is gone but the scratches start forming shape and a satisfied smile maps those cherry lips._  
_He fucks Wonwoo in his sweater, smirking down at the latter who tries to muffle his voice behind the cute sweater paw as his insides burn under every move Mingyu makes. It'll be over soon, he won't last long, he knows. Each thrust earns him a moan of his name along with words of encouragement and_ God _, Wonwoo sounds so fucking good on his cock, it takes Mingyu few extra breaths to control himself and not cum before the man. The sight beneath him is unbearable, Wonwoo is shaking like leaves in Autumn, one hand muffling his voice while seeking release on his own arousal with other._

 _There's a couple of soft, rushed '_ please, please, harder, Gyu, harder' _before a sudden spark of electricity rushes over Mingyu's whole body and he sucks in a deep breath, placing his hand over Wonwoo's trembling one, grasping at the aching erection. He helps him reach his climax while complying to his request from earlier; going in harder. Wonwoo sobs audibly then, his breath quickening and unsteady, and Mingyu thinks he looks beautiful like this. Flushed and messy, desperate for a release._

_So, so beautiful._

_'Hyung, look at me,' he hears himself say and like the good boy he is, Wonwoo obeys and fixates his eyes on him, half-lidded and watery. He's out of focus, Mingyu notices, it takes him a few tries before their gazes meet. Wonwoo's tongue darts out to wet his dry lips and makes a whiny sound as the cock inside him pushes in deeper, hitting his prostate in one swift movement. He arches his back against the fluffy pillow, shuddering at the friction he feels from the soft material of his sweater as the sensitive skin of his back rubs against it._

_A flutter of those thick, inky eyelashes catches Mingyu's attention and he watches in complete awe as a couple of tears slowly fall down the older's rosy cheeks._

_Wonwoo is crying and Mingyu thinks he might be in love._

_'You're so beautiful,' he preens, enjoying the sight beneath him. The body shudders violently at the words, chest rising with every breath Wonwoo takes; it's hard for him to keep his moans under control, especially when the cock keeps on sliding in and out of him at an agonizingly slow, snail pace. It burns, the stretch that is but in such a delicious way that Wonwoo has to bite into the back of his hand to keep his voice under control. It's hard._  
_A streak of saliva covering the corners of those plush, red-swollen lips make Mingyu suck in a deep breath he doesn't know he's been holding and hazy-eyed, he smacks the skinny hand, forcing it away from Wonwoo's parted lips. He hears a loud whine and he chuckles, the need to ruffle the fluffy inky hair being as strong as ever. He doesn't do that, though, as a very different plan flashes through his mind instead._  
_Slowly, he runs a thumb over the plush of Wonwoo's moist lips he so obediently keeps parted as if in anticipation of_ something _and Mingyu just smirks down at him before shoving three of his fingers inside the hot cavern. There's a faint sound in the back of the other's throat as he tries to not choke on the soft flesh invading his mouth. It takes him a moment to adjust to the feeling but soon enough, his pink tongue is hot around the digits, licking and sucking in a way that leaves Mingyu speechless and highly aroused. His cock, still buried inside the beautiful body, twitches in excitement and Wonwoo lets out a moan, loud and high-pitched around his fingers, sending shivers down Mingyu's spine. The stretch is painful but by the looks of things, the older must be a masochist because the instant Mingyu's eyes travel to his face, he finds nothing but a satisfied smirk of some sort and he watches, stunned, as Wonwoo whispers as best as he can with fingers fucking his mouth._

_'I'm- I'm so close,' he whines, needy. 'Please,' his voice gets higher, 'please let me cum.'_

_Mingyu gives a look in between his lover's legs and hums in response because it's true- Wonwoo is leaking, straining an angry red under the younger's tight grip he has around his arousal._

_He pulls at the pretty little cock engulfed by his palm, earning a very vocal response from Wonwoo's pretty lips. He's close but so is Mingyu._

_'Go ahead, kitten.' The pet name seems to be the last straw to the little control his lover has over his climax, pushing it to the edge of exploding._

_It all happens so fast then; Wonwoo crying out loud incoherent words in the sweetest moan the younger has ever heard, pearly beads of white painting the grey of his oversized sweater and the heavy panting that follows after. It's all too intoxicating; Mingyu, watching everything with hunger on his face, hastily quickens his pace, abusing the pliant, beautiful body beneath him. He's short of breath, heart beating fast from the build up in his stomach before he leans in, sucking and licking the skin on Wonwoo's neck while giving a few hard thrusts. He wishes he would last longer, drinking in the curves of the body shuddering helplessly from over-sensitivity._

_He finds the other's lips and licks his way inside, drunk on the feeling of warm welcome._

_'So good,' Mingyu whispers adoringly, 'you're so good for me, hyung.'_

_A sweet mewl is his response and greedy, he draws out a quick thrust, filling Wonwoo's insides with his seed, wishing he'd be able to impregnate him._

 

  
Startled, Mingyu woke up with a jerk, sweaty and with an aching boner. His sheets were a mess. He was already leaking with pre-cum, staining his boxers. _Like a fucking teenager._ He hasn't had a wet dream for so long and it had to be about him fucking Wonwoo.

His dick twitched in excitement at the thought. He was hard again.

Oh no. _No no no._ This wasn't happening. This was so not happening.

'Shit. Shit, shit, shit.' Panicked, Mingyu scrambled out of the comfort of his bed, ignoring the embarrassing wet dots leaking through the material of his underwear.

He sprinted to the bathroom and took the coldest shower in his life.


	8. Eight.

Waking in a bed that wasn't his and with bones hurting like someone had crushed them in a tight hug, wasn't exactly Wonwoo's ideal Saturday morning. Jeongguk's top bunk was unfitted for his standard of comfort his bed at home had provided and it showed on his mood he'd woken up to. Not good at all. A pitch black cloaked the inside of the room and the equally loud snores coming from below him indicated that the couple was still soundly asleep. Wonwoo was laying on the uncomfortable bed with aching muscles, an overly big shirt he'd borrowed from Jeongguk's closet sliding off of his shoulder because the interest in oversized clothes was a common thing between him and his little brother, except that his little brother wasn't little anymore; in the span of a few years he'd managed to grow out of his lanky, weak form due to all the sports and work-out he'd put his body through into a very fine man with refined muscles so Wonwoo- still as skinny as ever, literally drowned in the fabric. No complaints on his side, though. It was comfortable, warm even because Jeongguk's smell lingered through the shirt and Wonwoo felt at peace and could actually fall asleep in a bed he wasn't used to.

Despite the fact that he woke up feeling like shit, Wonwoo still managed a tiny smile curl at the corners of his lips when he remembered the occurrences of his previous night. Mingyu really did a great job at keeping him safe, saved his ass from being molested and vice versa. He even got to dance with him, too. It felt almost like the younger wasn't straight at all, his courteous behavior towards Wonwoo too intimate for someone who wasn't interested in men but then again, Mingyu was a very affectionate person, caring and attentive so it must've been normal for him to get close like that with all of his friends. Wonwoo wasn't sure why he thought he was special in any way. He wouldn't admit it out loud but being the center of Mingyu's attention felt really good. He didn't know why but even after knowing the younger for barely a month, he'd gotten comfortable around him, his presence becoming a very appreciated kind of comfort. Being with Mingyu kind of felt like Jaehyun had never left his side, as weird as it sounded because, let's face it; the tall kid was the epitome of a perfect boyfriend and Wonwoo wasn't blind to notice that, really. It was just the warmth radiating from his big, big body that made him feel warm and fuzzy on the inside and it pushed his defenses down without him even noticing. Wonwoo wasn't complaining, though. If anything, the night he'd thought would be boring and uncomfortable for him to bear ended up really fun and entertaining thanks to the younger. He'd stepped out of his comfort zone way too many times that night and Wonwoo couldn't believe how easy was for him to slide onto Mingyu's lap and get touchy with him in pretend of being his fake boyfriend. That was honestly the first time he'd done something like this for a friend and it surprised him how his mind seemed to be okay with such actions.

But then the memory of his bold move right before Mingyu was about to leave gnawed upon him and Wonwoo hid his face in his palms, embarrassed. He might've been tired and sleepy as hell but he sure remembered the kiss he'd given Mingyu's cheek. That wasn't something he would've done even if he was high or drunk off his ass and it was completely out of his character. If anything, Wonwoo blamed the sugar from the soda he'd had that night.

_I hope I didn't scare him off._

Slowly, Wonwoo got down the bunk bed, face bright red from the thoughts and bent a little to check on the sleeping couple. His friends were still curled up under a blanket, snoring contently so Wonwoo could leave them be as it was now clear they weren't dead. Reaching for the door handle, he heaved a deep sigh and quietly opened the door. Immediately, a sound of two familiar voices arguing made him shut the door behind him in fear they might wake the guys. Quietly as a mouse, he tiptoed all the way to the end of the hallway, brows furrowing upon hearing the low voice clearly.

'Smart move of you to come here with your baby brother so I'd let you in.'

The displeased voice belonged to Jeongguk, for sure.

'That's not it. We have something planned out and besides, he wanted to see Wonu, so I brought him here. I knew he'd sleepover at your place.'

'Uh-huh, yeah. Whatever.'

Judging by the annoyed tone in Jeongguk's voice, the person he was talking to was probably Jaehyun. His brother always got a bit worked up when being prompted to have a conversation with his boyfriend. The younger sounded so distant yet aggressive, picking up fight with Jaehyun even when Wonwoo wasn't present. It was honestly a little disappointing. He could at least try to act polite.

Curious, Wonwoo peeked from around the corner of the hallway to make out of the situation in the room only to furrow his brows upon seeing the tense atmosphere surrounding the people sitting across from each other. He noticed Jeno squished on the couch in his tiny little bubble with headphones covering his ears, baby fingers tapping the screen of Jaehyun's phone. So he didn't have to hear the adults spewing hate at one another. Wonwoo's eyebrows stayed knitted together. However considerate the guys tried to be towards the little boy, it was still bad for him to be the witness of adults arguing. He may not hear them but he sure as hell wasn't blind. Having grown protective of Jeno over the few months of knowing him, Wonwoo decided to step in before the situation escalated further.  
Pulling the collar of the borrowed shirt up, he quietly stepped out of the shadows, clearing his throat in order to get the eyes on himself.

'Don't argue in front of a child.' He couldn't help the nagging tone sneak into his voice as he glanced over at his brother and then boyfriend. Their bickering quieted down almost instantly, Jeongguk biting his lip while Jaehyun sighing deeply before mouthing a weak _'hi'_ and _'sorry'_. Wonwoo rolled his eyes and successfully prevented himself from folding his arms against his chest because in flash, Jeno was putting the headphones on the space next to him and then hopping excitedly into Wonwoo's already spread out, inviting arms. His tiny teeth shone brightly in a smile as he hugged his favorite hyung tight around the neck, planting a huge, sloppy kiss on his cheek. Wonwoo broke into a smile himself, pressing the boy tight on his chest and doing a couple of spins around that got them both giggling. Jeno wiggled with his legs like an excited puppy.

'I've missed you so much, Nonu!' He exclaimed with pouty lips when his feet finally met the floor, fingers tugging at the hem of the oversized shirt the other was wearing. 'Hyung said we could play with Hyejin today,' his voice got lower this time, but not losing on the excitement. Wonwoo raised an eyebrow at his boyfriend who just smiled.

'We've talked about this a couple days ago, remember?'

The look on the older boy's face changed in understanding as the realization hit him. 'Yeah, we have,' he nodded, absently raking his fingers through the little boy's soft locks, 'but if I recall correctly, we've decided on going next week?' The little fist probing at the shirt's hem tightened, wrinkling the fabric and Wonwoo saw Jeno make that pouty expression again. He saw Jaehyun nod, slowly but then his eyes turned all soft when settling on his younger brother.

'I know. I texted you to ask about changing the date and going with us today but you didn't reply so we decided to surprise you a little?'

Was that a question or what?

Jaehyun rubbed the back of his neck out of nervousness and if Jeongguk didn't snort, Wonwoo would've forgotten he was still there. He shot a pointed glare at his brother who surrendered, not wanting to start a fight and backed away.  
'I've already called to the hospital. They said visitors are allowed and you know Jeno has been really adamant to play with Hyejin lately,' he sighed upon seeing the sheepish smile on his baby brother. 'I'm sorry, it's a bit rushed,' he sent an apologetic look at Wonwoo who could only sigh with a defeated smile. What else he could do in this situation, anyway. With the excited glint in Jeno's eyes, there was no way for him to cancel the trip. He didn't want to disappoint the boy. So he crouched down to get on the little one's eye level and grabbed tiny hands into his own.

'It's okay. We can go today,' he agreed, laughing when Jeno nearly jumped out of excitement with a cute shout. It even managed to get Jeongguk, who's been silent and tight-lipped the whole time, tug a smile on his lips.

Jeno's eyes turned into the adorable little crescents and Wonwoo glanced briefly at his boyfriend who sighed in relief, hand loosening the hold on his shirt. He must've thought he'd fail to persuade him, Wonwoo mused, but then it'd follow with a very sad Jeno who'd been more than curious about meeting the sick, young girl his hyung had been so fond of. Robbing the kid off of his excitement was the last thing Wonwoo wanted. And who could refuse such an adorable kid.  
He looked up to see his boyfriend mouth a quiet _'thanks',_  lips stretching into a smile.

Jeno then tugged at his shirt with more strength, leaning his tiny head towards him, keen eyes fascinated by something he found on his neck and Wonwoo suppressed a gulp because he just realized what caught the little one's attention. It was too late to turn away as Jeno's squeaky voice asked out loud a question, grabbing the other adults' attention almost instantly.

'By the way, Nonu, what's that red boo-boo you have on your neck?'

It was an innocent question for someone who had no clue about adult things and Wonwoo might've brushed it off with a smile but his boyfriend was in the same room, close enough to hear it clearly and it took one look his way to know his focus was on the hickey. Still so bright and angry red. His hand flew up to cover the mark and gulping down the dry lump in his throat, Wonwoo gave the child a small smile, ruffling his hair lightly while desperately trying to avoid the younger man's piercing gaze.

'It's nothing. Just a bug's bite.'

Jaehyun's frown deepened when noticing the glare his boyfriend threw at Jeongguk who seemed to get smaller and smaller under the scrutinizing eyes.

'Must've been a really big one. Does it hurt?' Surprisingly, it was Jaehyun who asked with a strained voice, faltering a little as he tried to hold back and not pounce at Jeongguk. Because who the fuck marks their own brother?

Wonwoo shook his head before standing up, eyeing his brother with a pointed glare. Jeongguk, suddenly docile, averted his eyes, settling on digging holes into the carpet instead, not really excited about the scolding he was most likely about to get as Wonwoo's displeased grunt reached his ears. But nothing other than that came after, the older just mumbled something under his breath before scooting closer to Jaehyun, giving his cheek a quick peck as if trying to calm the beast within him.

'I'll go get dressed, all right? Don't do anything stupid when the child is here.' Wonwoo's voice pleaded with demand, squeezing Jaehyun's hand briefly before he let go and disappeared inside the boys' room. His heart pounded loudly against his ribcage, the look in his boyfriend's eyes was honestly terrifying and Wonwoo tried his best in putting on the clothes from yesterday within the record time. Swiftly but quietly if he didn't want to make a mess in the room. The couple was still sleeping soundly covered by the thick layers of blankets, even though the clock in the living room displayed the afternoon hours. Considering how plastered Soonyoung had gotten last night, letting him sleep the hungover away was for the best. Wonwoo gave the bumps in the bottom bunk one final look before sneaking a written note on Jeongguk's desk for the guys to read. He picked his stuff in hurry, stuffing his jogging pants into the tiny backpack as well as his brother's shirt. He couldn't possibly leave it here unwashed. It'd nag Wonwoo out of his mind if he left it used just like that. He was no bad guest.  
Fastening the choker around his neck to cover up the bite mark, Wonwoo sighed deeply, brushing his messy hair with his fingers in substitute for a comb and then rushed to the bathroom to wash his face properly. Hopefully, by the time he returned he wouldn't find the two youngsters involved in a fight.

Thank God nothing like that happened, seeing the two adults standing on the opposite sides of the room, quiet but having some sort of a glare fight. Wonwoo stepped inside the spacious room, pulling the sleeves of his black cardigan he'd brought yesterday down to cover his hands. He felt the most comfortable like this, engulfed in big clothes. It gave him a feeling of security and warmth. Jaehyun's dark eyes softened immediately as they landed on his boyfriend who motioned with his sweater paws for him to come closer. His little brother, however, was faster than lightning, sneaking tiny arms around Wonwoo's hips because that was the highest he could reach up to and honestly, Jaehyun felt a bit dejected. Despite the sly boy clinging to his princess' side like a leech, he found himself smiling fondly. Wonwoo was so good with kids, no wonder Jeno wanted him to himself. Jaehyun felt just as same.

Turning around to look after his brother, Wonwoo asked if he could take the sleeping guys in his room back home. He was met with a quiet nod, Jeongguk being oddly silent, unmoving from his spot, leaning against the wall with arms crossed over his chest. Although he deemed his protectiveness towards his older brother in the line of being moderate, Jeongguk had to admit he crossed a line there, biting Wonwoo's neck in plain hopes it'd keep pushy people away. In the spur of the moment, he let himself being carried away and it took him a whole night of wondering about the wrongness of his actions. Head hung low in shame, he sucked on his bottom lip out of nervousness.

'Thank you.'

Jeongguk looked up in time to see a grateful smile mapping his hyung's soft features and it made him smile a tiny bit, too.  
Wonwoo couldn't really stay mad at his brother for long, as much of a possessive brat he could be, his love for him being too strong than to dwell over his unhealthy behavior. Not wanting to leave on bad terms, Wonwoo shuffled to Jeongguk to pull him into a tight hug, which was hesitantly returned back.  
Face buried in the older's shoulder, Jeongguk whispered an apology for yesterday's fuck up, fingers dipping into the prominent shoulder blades. He got a reassuring pat on his head as Wonwoo nodded with forgiveness on his tongue.

Jaehyun didn't seem to forgive that easily though, as he left with a curt goodbye, not forgetting to place a hand on the small of Wonwoo's back, turning over his shoulder to shoot the other a nasty glare. He got one of Jeongguk's own in return, lips tightening upon seeing the wandering fingers on his beloved brother's backside. He really didn't like that, such toxic person being that close to Wonwoo but what else he could do than to watch from afar as his brother was slowly getting eaten by the demon. Trying to warn the older about his boyfriend's true nature always ended up falling on deaf ears; Wonwoo was still too naive and stubborn despite the scars he'd received in the past. Jeongguk didn't want to pick up the broken pieces again. So he made his mission to keep his eyes close on Jung Jaehyun, despite how happy his brother seemed by his side.

Biting his bottom lip in frustration, Jeongguk shuffled to the kitchen, to make breakfast- or lunch in that case- for the couple occupying Jimin's bed. Hopefully, that might help his negative thoughts disappear.

 

  
Seated comfortably in the passenger seat, Wonwoo turned over to check on the child only to find out an excited little puppy. Jeno was fidgeting with joy in the back, tiny legs dangling as the excitement rushed all over his body. Clearly, he couldn't wait to meet the girl, even though the boy was always so shy around strangers. But seeing the sparkles in Jeno's eyes as the sight of the hospital building was getting closer, made Wonwoo smile. He was informed by the excitement in the kid's voice that they brought green apples for the girl, which was very sweet and thoughtful because vitamins were something Hyejin needed for her to survive. Wonwoo giggled when Jeno showed him the plastic bag with the fruit inside, resting on top of other things he'd had in the cute backpack he'd brought with him. The little boy kept entertaining them with his talking about things he'd like to tell Hyejin about and it warmed Wonwoo's heart a little. What a sweet boy.

Jaehyun, on the other hand, hadn't said a word since they left Jeongguk's place. Wonwoo tried to convince himself his boyfriend was too focused on the road, now that he had a child in the back seat but that was wishful thinking. Jaehyun might've been tight-lipped the whole ride but the occasional glances at the pale throat of his passenger really showed he wanted to talk about it. About the ugly red mark.  
Overwhelmed by the scrutinizing eyes, Wonwoo bit his lips and turned his head to the side, deciding on looking through the window on his right. He tried not to hiss from the pain as Jaehyun's hand wandered up to his thigh and squeezed in a tight grip. Yeah. He wasn't angry. He was _mad_. The silent treatment was honestly unnerving and scary. Jaehyun looked like a human peach most of the time but people got easily deceived by the soft look. Wonwoo hadn't had the honor of witnessing the fury overpower his boyfriend because they didn't spend enough time together and there was really no reason for them to get mad at each other.

_But._

One thing that got his usually mild-mannered boyfriend going was Jeongguk. The blond tried to hold himself back long enough, taking the verbally harsh punches with gritted teeth but it seemed his patience had worn thin and snapped. Wonwoo was aware he was bottling up his emotions for his sake, that was partly the reason he started with the boxing lessons- to blow some steam off- and should've known better the hickey would trigger something within him. He just hoped they'd solve it without anyone getting hurt. Physically and emotionally.

Glancing carefully at his left side, he just then noticed Jaehyun's eyes looking tired and dull- missing their usual mischievous glint. The bags under them weren't that prominent but they were there. He must've pulled an all-nighter and consumed more than average amount of caffeine to keep concentrating on the books. Wonwoo felt guilty. He should've stayed and helped him study, instead he went out clubbing with a straight guy and a bunch of wild party animals.

Absently, he brought his hand up to gently caress the soft of Jaehyun's cheek, to soothe the tension in his body. He felt the other relax into his touch and let out a deep sigh. It managed to curl a smile at the corners of his lips. Wonwoo tried to apologize for earlier but before he even could open his mouth, Jaehyun pulled away from his touch, fingers gripping the steering wheel hard.

'We're here.'

The little one squealed in his seat, clasping his hands as the car turned over the corner. The big parking lot in front of the hospital was filled with cars and Jeno quickly stuffed the food back inside, zipping the backpack up. He was fidgeting, throwing looks at his big brother who looked for a free parking spot.  
As soon as the engine turned off, Jeno was quick on his feet, getting out of the car excitedly until he got scolded by his brother to not wander off on his own. Embarrassed, the child nodded, fiddling with his fingers while he waited for the adults to get off.

Holding Jeno's hand while the other one was busy resting in the one of his boyfriend, Wonwoo made the way to the hospital entrance. The silence between him and his boyfriend was honestly suffocating, only Jeno's blabbering keeping the walk somewhat not dull. Surely, Jaehyun didn't plan on ignoring him for the rest of the day, did he?

 

  
'I'm really sorry.'

The apology didn't seem to have any effect on the stoic face his boyfriend had on since they got out of the car. It remained the same, except for one weak moment when they came to pick Hyejin up. The girl looked healthier the last time he had the night shift but her cheeks had yet to gain fullness. She was beaming with joy when spotting Jaehyun, the dullness in her eyes disappearing as she hugged the man with her fragile arms, a smile on her pale face. Jeno, despite the excitement from earlier, got awfully quiet and shy all of a sudden when Hyejin asked in a gentle voice who was the cute little boy covering behind Nonu's back. Wonwoo giggled at the sudden change in the kid's behavior, the backpack sliding off of his tiny shoulder as he heaved a deep sigh before peeking to the side to give the girl a small wave of his hand. Wonwoo nudged him in the side to come out of his hiding spot but the boy hesitated for a moment.

'I don't bite, you know.' Hyejin said in a teasing voice, holding out a hand for Jeno, beckoning for him. Just then the boy complied, taking unsure steps to the wheelchair the girl was sitting in, the gown big on her willowy frame. She looked so small for her age, but it was the illness, Wonwoo had told him before.  
'I'm Hyejin,' she smiled when the boy nodded and took her hand in his.

'I'm Jeno and I'm five years old,' he showed his palm with fingers spread out, making the girl laugh a bit.

'I'm your noona then!'

The shyness seemed to come off after the awkward introduction and not even an hour after their first meeting, both children were outside the psych ward drawing something on a paper that Jeno had pulled out of his backpack, an eruption of laughs filling at their table as they found the drawings amusing for some reason.  
Wonwoo was sitting not too far away, just two tables behind theirs, watching them interact with a smile on his lips. He was glad that Hyejin got comfortable around Jeno and vice versa. She needed a distraction from the loneliness she'd been surrounded with ever since the start of her therapy. It was still unclear when her brother got discharged from the army so he could pay a visit and her dad was a busy man who tried his best to cover the expenses for the treatment. As for her mother- well, Wonwoo hoped the monster won't even dare to show up at the hospital. That woman was the reason Hyejin suffered like that, after all.

'She looks better.'

Wonwoo was pulled out of his trance when he heard Jaehyun speak. The younger was sitting beside him, fingers drawing nonsense on the wooden table while his other hand was being busy resting on Wonwoo's thigh. It was a welcomed warmth so he wasn't complaining.  
Wonwoo gave him a nod, intertwining the fingers of his boyfriend with his own. 'Yeah, she is. The therapy helps a lot, Jinseok hyung is not as pushy as the one at her previous place and she even started to eat regular meals. I feel like she might heal fully in no time.'  
This put a smile on Jaehyun's lips and Wonwoo really wanted to kiss him right now but they were in public with kids nearby so he resisted the urge and settled for holding hands under the table.

They sat in comfortable silence, watching the kids laugh at something while drawing and eating the fruit Jeno had brought. It was satisfying seeing Hyejin eat, after so many attempts of trying to get her to eat on her own instead of being prompted to. It warmed Wonwoo's heart. The girl was definitely getting better.

'I'm still kinda mad, you know. Not at you but your brother.' Jaehyun looked at him with a frown then, shifting his position to face his boyfriend better. 'I get that Jeongguk's protective of you and it might be a bit a fault of mine, too because of my lifestyle so I get it, really- but he fucking crossed a line there,' he whispered as he cursed under his breath, his thumb pressing on the silky material of the choker. Wonwoo gulped out of nervousness, not daring to look up and have eye contact with the other in fear what he could read in them. 'I don't appreciate anyone marking your body but me. And I want him to understand that. Next time he tries to pull off something like that, don't let him. Say no.' This time, Jaehyun forced their eyes to meet by grabbing his chin, and Wonwoo whimpered a meek _'there won't be next time'_ , knees shaking from the dominant tone he was spoken to. He felt Jaehyun's finger slide down to unclasp the choker, causing the thing to fall on Wonwoo's lap and then he bent down a little to brush his lips against the red mark. Panic arose in Wonwoo's body because of the exposure and God, the kids were still here and they were in public- and then a sharp pain caused a yelp leave his mouth as Jaehyun bit the scarred spot on his throat, creating a new one to appear. It started to bleed a little and hurt like a bitch and Wonwoo could feel his vision getting blurry because of the tears filling in the corners of his eyes. He gripped Jaehyun's hand that still rested on his thigh his knuckles turned white, nearly sobbing from the pain shooting through his neck. Jaehyun licked the wound clean while mumbling something about his _property_ and Wonwoo wanted to retort that he wasn't anyone's property but then his boyfriend buried his head on his shoulder, apologizing for not asking for permission to leave a mark.

'Sorry, I guess I got jealous.'

Of who? His brother? Wonwoo almost laughed out loud but his neck hurt even though Jaehyun kept placing soft kisses on the bite, so he just gave a sigh and patted the younger on the back.

'There's no reason for you to be jealous, you know? I won't let Gukkie do that again, promise,' he whispered, burying his head in the softness of Jaehyun's hair. 'I'm sorry.'  
The pressure on his shoulder was gone as Jaehyun turned his head to look his boyfriend properly in the eyes. Wonwoo had the prettiest blush spread across the apples of his cheeks, his nose pink on the tip and wow, Jaehyun had felt his weariness vanishing from his tired body and his tarnished soul was being cleansed. Wonwoo was honestly so kind and beautiful, the younger felt bad for getting upset and ignoring him the whole afternoon. The poor boy even apologized on his brother's behalf and what did Jaehyun do instead of pulling him into his arms and apologize for being a jerk? He bit over the ugly hickey because jealousy had taken over him.

Of course, Wonwoo, being the sweet boy that he was, let him take his frustration out on him. Jaehyun felt like an ass. He was acting like one, too. Possessiveness was never an issue when he dated but now- it was different with Wonwoo. The guy was just too good for him. And despite knowing that, he didn't want to let him get away from his grasp.

'Don't be. It's not your fault your little bro is like that.' Jaehyun reached out to pinch the other's cheek, smiling at the response he got. 'I'm sorry, too.'

Leaning in with a flutter of his pretty eyelashes, Wonwoo pursed his lips. 'I swear it won't happen again. I'll make it up to you.'

There was really no need to but-

'How about you stay at my place today, then? Maybe help me with studying a little while we're at it?'

Wonwoo couldn't help the blush to appear on his cheeks. 'Mhm, I might, but only if you cook dinner for me,' he whispered shyly, nuzzling into Jaehyun's warmth.

'It's a deal, then.' A kiss was placed on the crown of Wonwoo's hair. Still so soft despite not being combed properly.

'You two are so cute.'

The high pitched voices of both kids startled Wonwoo in his seat and instead of kissing his boyfriend straight on the lips like he planned to, he ended up placing a sloppy peck on his cheek. The reaction was still the same, though. Jaehyun had that shit-eating grin on his face, one hand snaking around Wonwoo's waist, while the other one returned back to squeeze his thigh.

'Oh! You guys are done drawing?' Wonwoo asked after clearing his throat as he wiggled out of the tight grasp and stood up to take a look at the paper placed on Hyejin's lap. He noticed Jeno's tiny hand holding hers like it was made of fragile glass and the sight made him soft and warm inside. October was right around the corner and the weather had yet to get crispy and cold but knowing the state Hyejin's body was in, a little warmth passed from another person would help her to not catch a cold. Wonwoo cooed at the kids being adorable he almost forgot the pain on his neck until Hyejin pointed it out with a cheeky grin. Clicking his tongue, he shot a glance at Jaehyun who gave him a sheepish smile in return and offered to take the girl back inside and ask for a band-aid to cover the bite. It stopped bleeding long ago but it still stung like a needle.

Jeno was holding Hyejin's hand until they reached the nurse that took care of her that day. The little boy tried to not show the disappointment as his new friend was giving hugs to the adults, smiling as much bigger hands ruffled her hair and pinched her cheeks. When it was his turn to say goodbye, he launched forward and hugged her thin frame tight, tears threatening in his eyes. Hyejin giggled despite being suffocated in the hug, patting the small back reassuringly, comforting. Jeno sniffled back a sob; he didn't want to leave yet- there was still so much he wanted to tell his noona about but all good things had to come to an end. Hyejin had therapy later that day but she promised him they'd meet up again if Jinseok oppa allowed her to. Mrs. Kwon, the nurse in charge assured the boy her therapist was a nice man and that if Hyejin keeps eating well, he could visit her again. Maybe next week, even. This managed to stop the tears and Jeno nodded, all smiles and grins. He gave the girl one last hug, reminding her to eat the rest of the apples they brought and then grabbed his hyungs by the hands, as a silent nod that they could go. Wonwoo bowed to the nurse along with Jaehyun and left the hospital with a bouncing kid in the middle.

As the trio had settled inside the car, a sound of something growling reached Wonwoo's ears and he turned over his shoulder to see Jeno patting his little stomach with a sad pout.

'You hungry?' Jaehyun, who had not yet started the car, asked his brother with a smile. He received a whiny _'yes'_ , followed by another growling noise as if to prove his words.  
'Well, we better get something soon because I'm hungry, too.'

'I want sweets though,' Jeno voiced out softly, wiggling his legs as he played with his fingers. He looked so small, smaller than he was already, pleading eyes shifting between both adults seated at the front.

'There's a pancake house just a few blocks from my place, they even offer those muffins you love so much. Wanna go there?'

Wonwoo watched the kid's eyes sparkle upon hearing the suggestion but his lips stayed in a thin line. 'What if mommy finds out I've been cheating?'

Scooting closer as best as his position allowed him to, Wonwoo reached out to gently squeeze the boy's small hands. 'What do you mean?'

'One of mom's models told her about some diet they've been trying out, something to do with not eating sweets at all, so she's been kinda curious and ended up forcing our fam to do that with her so in short, all sweets are canceled until further notice.' Jaehyun explained with a sour face. 'I didn't last even a week because I love my chocolate candies and it's easier to cheat since I live on my own but Jeno,' he sent an apologetic look to his brother whose pout grew bigger, 'he doesn't stand a chance against that stubborn woman in the house.'

Wonwoo honestly didn't know what to do. Cutting off sweets to their child wasn't that much of a big deal but pushing them to suffer through the diet with their parent was a bit extreme. The boy was still growing, surely a little sweet snack wouldn't hurt him.

'If Jeno wants pancakes, then he'll get pancakes,' Wonwoo squeezed the little one's hands in his, smiling when a chorus of happy squeals filled the air. 'You have to keep it a secret from mom, yeah?' He put a finger to his lips with the kid following the movement.

'I will!' He grinned sheepishly.

'Good boy.' Jaehyun chirped, starting the car at last.

 

  
The pancake house seemed like heaven in Jeno's eyes, judging how his face was glued on the glassed window as he kept sending lingering looks at the huge sign on the building. He couldn't help but scream happily when Jaehyun parked the car and waited patiently for Wonwoo to open the door and take his hand.

His cute little hopping made the two adults laugh.

It wasn't rush hours but the place was packed with kids dining with their families. There were hardly any seats available. Jeno kept looking around, fingers gripping Wonwoo's hard as he clung to his side, the shyness making itself present in crowded places like these. Wonwoo calmed the boy with soft, gentle words while searching for a free booth. Every single one appeared to be occupied but then his sharp eyes registered the fluffy, light brown mop of hair and then the face of its owner. Mingyu.

Who would've thought he'd bump into the tall kid so soon. But then- it shouldn't be too surprising considering the younger lived nearby; across from Jaehyun, actually.  
Tugging at the sleeve of his boyfriend's jacket, Wonwoo pointed at the direction where Mingyu's tall form towered above everyone else even while sitting and suggested to go and ask if there was any free seat. Nodding, Jaehyun nudged his little brother to choose anything from the list to order, the kid's eyes glistening with happiness. Wonwoo chuckled at the eagerness adorning his face.

They ordered enough to keep them sated for the rest of the day, Jaehyun quickly paying for their food before taking Wonwoo's hand and leading them right to Mingyu's booth.

A surprise awaited in the form of Mark and Youngho laughing at the sounds caused by Mingyu's loud way of eating. Registering his friends immediately, Wonwoo greeted his hyung and the younger with a smile.

'Wonu! Whatcha doing here? Oh, lemme guess- on a date with your man?' Was Youngho's snarky comment after he literally sprung out of his seat to make it available for the newcomers to sit on. He plopped beside Mingyu, not forgetting to wave at Jeno who wiggled a little, pressing himself close to Wonwoo. He returned the wave, albeit still shyly and smiled into his hyung's arm.

'It's not really a date,' Jaehyun gestured subtly to Jeno who kept latching on Wonwoo's side. 'Anyway, I'm more surprised to see you here, when you literally live on the other side of the city.' He raised a brow.

Youngho gave that obnoxious laugh of his before explaining he got hungry, too and the pancake house just happened to be on his and Mark's way home. He didn't forget to add how he bumped into Mingyu and that he offered him free food because he was _a nice hyung_. Jaehyun got a little suspicious then, asking if he was trying to bribe their center but both Youngho and Mingyu denied such thing, stating that it was just an act of friendship or some sort. Wonwoo wasn't sure because as far as basketball went, he wasn't that interested in that and instead kept talking to Jeno who loosened up in the meantime, not clutching onto his arm anymore.  
The guys kept the conversation going, with Wonwoo occasionally putting in a remark and when his eyes accidentally met Mingyu's, something in his chest tightened. He wasn't sure why but the younger avoided his gaze, turning his attention to his muffins while still conversing with the guys. Honestly, the air around them was kind of awkward and after suddenly remembering the night's events, Wonwoo realized the cause of Mingyu's strange behavior. It was the kiss. Must've been.

Of course.

Getting kissed by a gay friend, even on the cheek, must've been traumatizing for a straight person like Mingyu. He should've known.

Wonwoo felt guilty. He couldn't take back the mistake he did but he wished he could.

_He must think I'm disgusting._

It appeared he wasn't the only one who noticed the air getting thicker around the two; Youngho could be painfully observant if he wanted, him pointing out the huge band-aid covering the wound on his friend's throat proved so. Wonwoo blushed an embarrassing deep red when the older mistook the reason for the band-aid as a heat of the moment between the couple. He didn't really want to tell him it was Jeongguk's fault, it'd certainly put his brother into a bad light in his friend's eyes. So he let Jaehyun explain, who managed to brush it off with a flat reply, but Wonwoo certainly noticed the topic had left his boyfriend a little bothered, judging how his grip on the fork tightened.

The arrival of their food pulled Wonwoo back from his thoughts and he passed the plate with Jaehyun's order his way. He blushed when the blond squeezed his thigh under the table, focusing on cutting the pancake on his and then Jeno's plate. The boy gobbled the sweet food in one go, too hungry to care if he looked like a starving wolf. He even asked, with a pout for better effect, for some from Wonwoo's plate and of course, being whipped for the cute little boy, he gave up and offered Jeno half of his honey toppled pancake.

As the guys kept the talk ongoing between them, Wonwoo watched the little boy stuff the sweet into his mouth, unfortunately getting the honey all over his lips. He giggled at the sight when Jeno looked at him, pursing his lips as if waiting for him to wipe the topping off. Slowly, he brushed his thumb over the boy's mouth, not forgetting to get a taste of the honey. It was sweet and sticky.  
As Wonwoo licked his fingers clean, he noticed Mingyu's stare, the younger averting his eyes the instant they locked eyes, cheeks turning bright red. He noticed the way the younger kept shifting in his seat and he couldn't help but react to Jaehyun's sudden concern if he was alright. Looking closer, Mingyu did appear a bit sick. Maybe he caught a cold? Wonwoo started to get worried. The guy had worn just a sleeveless top in the club that night, after all, and the seemingly thin layers of his sportswear didn't look warm, either.

His suspicions, however, proved to be half-right; Mingyu admitted he felt a little sick but reassured them all that it was just a stomachache from the amount of food he'd managed to eat. It didn't sound that convicting but Wonwoo brushed it off, not keen on putting pressure on the younger.  
So it didn't surprise him when Mingyu finally excused himself with a rather flushed face, eyes still avoiding Wonwoo's as if they were going to turn him into a stone and bid a quick goodbye to the others. He fist-bumped Jeno before leaving, a cute act on his part, especially when he got the kid grinning at him.

'Is he gonna be okay? He ate a lot of these,' Mark voiced out, fingers pointing at the empty plate on Mingyu's side of the table. Eyes full of concern, he looked over at Wonwoo, who couldn't give him a clear answer because he wasn't sure about that, either.

'Nah, he might get diarrhea at worst,' Youngho then joked in a light tone, making the others snort a laugh.

 

*****

 

What do you do when a very vivid dream of you fucking your friend's boyfriend keeps on burying your straight tendencies alive every time you close your eyes? You avoid said boyfriend. At least that's what Mingyu decided on the moment he got out of shower freezing cold because his dick had no chill, getting excited over a mere thought of Wonwoo wearing a sweater. Nothing but the sweater. It left Mingyu so ashamed, he had to distract himself by looking through some videos of baby animals on youtube to keep his mind clean of the dirty. That was how he spent the whole morning after all. Sprawled on the couch, watching compilations of puppies while eating some ramyun leftovers. It definitely wasn't the healthiest option for breakfast but he couldn't care less since he had planned on going for a jog later that day.

In the middle of the hundredth episode of huskies making the weirdest expressions and Mingyu's obvious, loud cooing over the cuteness of them all, he heard his phone vibrating on the coffee table. A text from his girlfriend who had just now decided to update him on her status. How considerate. He hid the disappointment behind a sigh, knowing very well the girl couldn't see him.

 _Just now returned home from Seulgi's. The party was amazing but I still missed you, baby~~_ Mingyu read, fighting the urge to roll his eyes but failed in doing so. Albeit still upset about being ignored, he replied to her anyway.

 _Glad you had fun, princess. I missed you, too._ He added some sad emojis to appear more genuine when in fact, he really wasn't. But he was no asshole. He got a reply about thirty minutes later, the phone vibrating making him pause the video of puppies playing catch. Mingyu briefly glanced over the screen full of kissy stickers Dahyun sent back along with information that she'll come visit tomorrow. He had nothing planned for the rest of the weekend so he agreed. Maybe, a nice day spent with his girlfriend would help him get rid of the inappropriate stuff about Wonwoo. And the sweater. God, the sweater. With a length that ended just below the curve of his ass and a collar so wide it showed his bare shoulder. The baby blue of Mingyu's own sweater contrasting against the dark, silky sheets as Wonwoo laid there with legs closed, dainty fingers peeking from the long sleeves as they rested loosely against his sides. And then, as Mingyu entered his vision, his lips would curl up into the prettiest of smiles, legs spreading wide as if inviting him to settle between them, to taste the smooth skin and mark it with his teeth.

A bead of sweat ran along his temple, his fingers slipping off the keyboard of his laptop. Mingyu gulped, pressing his thighs together in a sheer attempt to calm his fucking dick down.  
Seriously, how many videos he had to watch to stop the images out of his head.

Frustrated, Mingyu ran his hand through his hair, shutting the laptop off. It was around two in the afternoon, a perfect time for a good lunch. He'll whip something up and then go out for a jog around the neighborhood.

The plan sounded good in his head until he was about three rounds of the run in and got spotted by Seo Youngho, an obnoxious center from the basketball team his Uni was most likely to go against next month. The man lived far from this side of the city but here he was, walking towards him with that huge grin on his face, and a shorter boy who looked confused but followed after him like a puppy.

Mingyu stopped in his tracks and unplugged his earphones to make a swift greeting to the older. He was soaked in sweat but that didn't stop Youngho from pulling him into a bro hug.

'I was just about to eat at this pancake house,' he gestured to the building with a big logo-shaped pancake, 'wasn't expecting to run into you, man!' He laughed heartily, patting his back. Mingyu nodded, noticing the other boy shift behind the older man. His brow quirked a little. If he recalled correctly, Youngho had a boyfriend. He'd met him once when their teams were against each other and that one guy came in rushing to Youngho, wiping the sweat off his face and then kissing him heatedly on the lips. Even though it was Mingyu's team that won the game, there was no trace of anger or disappointment on Youngho's face. Because when it came to Lee Taeyong, everything seemed to be irrelevant. Even the loss of a basketball game. He was that in love. Mingyu admired the man for that kind of dedication.

The person standing behind Youngho though, wasn't Taeyong. The kid smelled like a Freshman.

'Oh yeah, that's Mark! He's my roommate.' Youngho grinned as he introduced the kid who gave him a sheepish smile and a nod to Mingyu's own.  
'Taeyonggie had already adopted him,' the older let out a laugh then, ruffling the kid's hair in affection. 'He says he's too cute and doesn't forget to remind him that on a daily basis.' The blush of embarrassment graced Mark's baby face and he gave a quiet huff, making Youngho laugh even harder.  
'Anyway, whatcha doing here? Out for a jog?'

Mingyu nodded once again, adjusting the hem of his hoodie. 'I gotta keep my body in shape so I can destroy your asses in the next game.' He said teasingly, getting a quirked brow in return.

'Yeah? That's good and all but how about you slow down for a sec and enjoy some tasty pancakes here?' Youngho's finger pointed at the entrance of the pancake house. 'A man's gotta eat, too, you know?' He patted Mingyu on the back again, as a silent command to move. 'It's my treat.' The wink that followed after made the younger snort out loud.

Stuffing the earphones back in his pocket, the younger grinned. 'I won't say no to free food.'

Youngho cheered loudly at that, his hand still on Mingyu's back, pushing him forward. Mark just silently followed the duo inside.

Mingyu was definitely receiving weird looks from the other customers around. He knew he was underdressed and must've appeared as some sort of a homeless person but he could care less as long as there were pancakes to sate his growling stomach. The pancake house in this area had some good sweets and the fruit served with the orders tasted surely like heaven on his tongue and on top of that, Youngho was paying for all of that so Mingyu could go all out.

And he did just that. The waitress who didn't get appalled by his sweaty clothes tried to flirt with him while taking his order, throwing wide smiles and winks here and there. Youngho cackled loudly when the girl's flirty smile vanished upon hearing the long list of Mingyu's order. And what about watching him eat! That was a real turn off for her. It was clear after the first few seconds of witnessing the tall boy gobble the pancake into his wide opened mouth. It certainly kept any thirsty girls from coming over to their booth.

Youngho watched the kids eat the delicious pancakes with a smile, sipping on the cocoa he'd ordered for himself. Once Mingyu's mouth was free of the sweets, they actually held a pretty fun conversation. Sometimes Mark would join in, trying to know his future opponent in court better and study his behavior and they kept it up for good thirty minutes until someone popped up at their booth with a cheerful _'hyung!'_ and Mingyu almost choked on the blueberry muffin he was halfway through when his eyes snapped up just to see the person he wanted to see the least.

Wonwoo, pretty little Wonwoo was standing beside Jaehyun, his beautiful fingers intertwined with those of his boyfriend, looking stunning even in the attire from yesterday. He wore a smile on his lips as he greeted Youngho and then him and Mark, turning his attention right back to Mingyu who hastily wiped the honey from the corners of his mouth before he silently nodded as some sort of greeting. He might've looked composed but his brain was running in circles and the heat in his body had grown bigger.

Everything got worse when Youngho changed seats to shuffle next to Mingyu while offering the free spot opposite him to the others. The arrangement ended up with Wonwoo sitting right across from him which wouldn't be a problem if that guy didn't make his dick hard. But he did and Mingyu was faced with a dilemma. He couldn't really look Wonwoo in the eyes, not when he was the center of his wet dreams.  
He was so immersed in his own thoughts he failed to notice the voice calling out to him. A tug on his arm from Youngho did the trick then. Looking up in confusion, Mingyu searched for the owner of the voice.

Jaehyun smiled at him. 'I gotta thank you again for keeping Wonu some company yesterday.' Mingyu hated how his gaze automatically shifted back to Wonwoo who only hummed in agreement, feeding little Jeno with the pancake. Thank God the older wasn't looking at him or things would get really bad for Mingyu's lower region.

'Yeah, you owe me big time. Wasn't easy to shake off the dudes coming for my ass,' he casually remarked, sipping on the coffee. The instant reaction from Youngho's obnoxious laugh caused Mark and Jaehyun to follow up and the trio ended up snickering at Mingyu's club adventures.

'Sounds like you had fun last night,' Mark then genuinely noted, adding few more snorts his way.

'Well, I certainly did have fun,' Wonwoo's soft voice butted in, his front now facing Mingyu who immediately broke off their eye contact. As he faced his half-eaten food, he failed to notice the confused look on the older's face.

Youngho, clearly noticing the awkward tension between the youngers, proceed to shift the conversation elsewhere by asking Wonwoo directly, like the blunt person that he was.  
'Okay, but seems like also someone else had a bit too much of fun, considering the band-aid on your neck.' He said that with a rather playful tone in his voice, brows wiggling as he glanced over at Jaehyun. Maybe Youngho was a dense idiot that he didn't notice the annoyed twitch of Jaehyun's eye, the grip on his fork tightening.

Mingyu's eyes flew up instantly to look at the hickey that was now covered by a thick band-aid. He tried not to stare too much but obviously, it was hard because as Wonwoo's slender fingers reached up to cover the embarrassing wound, eyes casted down and flushed all the way down to his neck, it caused the knot in Mingyu's stomach tighten.

The oldest of the bunch narrowed his eyes at Wonwoo, waiting for an answer that never came from his lips, instead a very flat voice of Jaehyun informed him that it was just a matter not worth dwelling over. Youngho almost pushed the subject further but then he noticed the tiny kid wiggling on Wonwoo's right and he shut his mouth up. Mingyu couldn't even imagine the fury Jaehyun must've felt upon seeing the hickey, moreover the person behind all that. God, he hoped Jeongguk was still alive. He better be or they were going to end up sucking ass on their upcoming games without their ace. They'd get crushed to death by Youngho's team that way.

'Nonu, can I have some of yours?' Jeno then asked, pouting as he tugged at the sleeve of Wonwoo's cardigan. The cute pleading ended up with a portion of the older's food in the little one's awaiting mouth. Somehow, the kid managed to get the honey topping all over his pursed lips and Mingyu secretly cooed at the sight. It grew louder in his head when Wonwoo, caring as ever, brushed his thumb over Jeno's mouth, wiping the sticky sweet substance off. The kid grinned, making the adult smile in return. It could've been cute if Wonwoo didn't lick the honey off his finger afterward, unaware of the flush starting to dominate Mingyu's features. Instead of squealing over that domestic scene happening before his eyes, his mind interpreted the view in a more disturbingly inappropriate way. Why, of all times and places, Mingyu's dick decided to wake up and cause havoc down there? He was in a family-friendly restaurant for God's sake. What did he do to be treated like this? He'd like to know. What was worse, Jaehyun noticed the sudden change in his expression and the uneven shifting as Mingyu tried to calm that little motherfucker down. He asked if he was alright, making all the eyes of the people around land on him. Wonwoo, who decided it was a good idea to look up with those sharp, pretty eyes while licking his fingers clean, voiced his concern about him catching a cold on the jog.

Mingyu hated himself for averting the gaze and turning his head to the side with a simple shake and reassuring words that he probably overate again.  
'It's just a little stomachache,' he waved them off with a forced smile. Well, it wasn't a complete lie; he did eat more pancakes and muffins than healthily normal but the real problematic cause of his seemingly pain-strained face was the traitor between his legs trying to break free through his sweats.

_Get a hold of yourself, Mingyu, there's a kid in front of you._

A brotherly pat from Youngho brought him back from the abyss his mind seemed to be stuck in for the past few moments. Thank God, he wouldn't be able to get out otherwise. He didn't want to drown in the erotic images his brain kept on creating. When the source of all the turmoil was sitting opposite him, making all those slurping noises around his dainty fingers.

The fork in Mingyu's hold slipped away and made a clattering sound, loud enough to embarrass him. He was asked once again if he was alright and this time, he responded in a small voice that maybe he should leave because his stomach started to hurt really bad.

'Sorry, I think I should go now,' he apologized, scrambling from his seat after getting a few pats from Youngho and a concerning looks from both Jaehyun and Wonwoo. He nodded, awkwardly shuffling over the oldest and thanked for the food, not forgetting to add he won't go easy on his team regardless of how sweet the gesture had been. Youngho rolled his eyes with a hearty laugh then, hand waving him off.

'Brat.'

Mingyu stuck his tongue at him and then proceed to fist bump Jeno who grinned at him with his mouth full.  
'See you, guys.' He waved them goodbye, looking at anyone but Wonwoo, who he didn't dare to spare a look at and left the restaurant with guilt and a half-hard dick.

 

  
Mingyu wasn't sure how, but he managed to get through the rest of his day without any more embarrassing incidents. With no hard-ons to take care of, he even got a decent amount of sleep he really needed, lazing around in bed until eleven in the morning the next day.

Considering his girlfriend was visiting later, he decided he could make her something she'd like. Dahyun might've been conscious about her weight a lot lately but that didn't stop Mingyu from baking her favorite cookies. Maybe he should make a batch for her mom, too.  
Humming to the song playing from some TV program, he rummaged through the cupboards in search of sugar but ended up finding nothing. He got one bag of salt but no sugar.  
A pout drew along his lips. He couldn't possibly bake cookies without sugar. There was no way. Unless his friendly neighbor- yes, Jaehyun, had some for him to borrow. His friend had been living off take-outs and his fridge looked like a Sahara desert most of the time but surely he had some sugar in store as the guy loved his coffee unbearably sweet.

Mingyu looked over at the clock, deciding it was a good time to bother his friend and put on some sweatpants so he didn't scare other neighbors if they passed by on accident and got scandalized by his puppy-printed boxers.

Unlike him, who changed his password every three months for safety reasons, Jaehyun seemed to be too unbothered to change his so Mingyu got inside without banging his fist on the door, disturbing his neighbors in the morning. Right when he passed the hallway, a sound of heavy breaths reached his ears and for a moment, Mingyu thought of bailing out back into the safety of his apartment because it sounded like Jaehyun was doing _things_. The sole image of his friend jerking off or _worse_ , sent a shiver down his spine and Mingyu scrunched his nose in disgust. Unfortunately, he really needed that sugar, so he barged inside the living room with a loud greeting, thinking it was the best way of letting his friend know he was here. Of course, the act had a result but not quite the one he expected. He looked around to see books scattered all over the coffee table, paper sheets and pens tossed everywhere but the table. Okay, so Jaehyun was supposed to be studying- _supposed to_ , but turned out he wasn't doing homework but rather someone else on the couch and Mingyu felt the blood drain off of his face so fast he stumbled a little on his feet. The couch he helped his friend choose, and the person sprawled on it with Jaehyun's head hidden under the oversized hoodie with his team's logo made Mingyu gulp a thick lump in his throat. The shaky breaths he heard upon arriving there weren't Jaehyun's but _Wonwoo's_ , who was now clutching desperately onto his boyfriend's shoulders, bare legs spread wide so the other could lay between them. The pleasing, soft noise got quickly cut off and a shriek followed after when Wonwoo's eyes finally registered Mingyu's awkward pose in the middle of the room, looking rather embarrassed.

Despite the heat spreading through his entire body like a wildfire, Mingyu surprisingly managed to wave his hand at the older and mouth a weak, _'hi'_ , getting a really cute reaction in the form of a blushing Jeon Wonwoo trying his best to find his breath.

'Oh my God, Mingyu! What- what are you doing here?!' Wonwoo managed to stutter through shaky breaths, his hands covered by the long sleeves, now curled into tiny balls were punching weakly Jaehyun's shoulders in order to stop whatever he was doing under his clothes. The redness on his cheeks deepened as Jaehyun seemed to find something under the big hoodie _very interesting_ and Mingyu swore he heard a slurping sound. Judging by the moan Wonwoo tried to hold in by biting his bottom lip and the slight arch of his back, it must've been one of his nipples or both; either way, Mingyu didn't need to know- didn't need another image to add to his already corrupted mind, thank you very much.

Even after the little outburst on Wonwoo's side, his boyfriend somehow failed to notice there was a guest standing not even a two meters away, witnessing the foreplay or whatever else he was doing. He kept with his ministrations, making Wonwoo utterly helpless and embarrassed through the silent cries of protests leaving his mouth.

Mingyu straightened his back and cleared his throat, eyes shifting around the room. 'Hey Jae, didn't know you were taking biology classes.' He tried to sound nonchalant, failing ever so slightly because his voice kind of cracked at the end but the couple seemed not to notice.

'Oh, Mingyu? That you? What's up?' _Finally_ , Jaehyun's head then popped up from inside the hoodie, the movement causing it to ride up dangerously high and just then Mingyu could see clearly Wonwoo's pale chest marked with signs of teeth and he himself sported a rather deep blush, probably on par with Wonwoo's own. Poor guy was flaring hot on the couch, hastily pulling the hoodie down to preserve some modesty, hiding his face behind the cute sweater paws. He was still breathing heavily, just trying to calm down from the mess Jaehyun had made of him. Muttering some incoherent words into his sleeves, he tried to shimmy away from Jaehyun's grasp, successful only when his foot nudged him in the side. Mingyu snorted audibly as his friend howled in pain and then turned to the uninvited guest, throwing daggers at him.

'What's so important you had to disturb my study session?' Mingyu got asked, the pout present on Jaehyun's lips. Wonwoo managed to scramble off the couch in the meantime, keeping himself occupied with gathering the papers and pens from the floor. It's got him on all fours with his little ass up in the air, the slight shift of the big hoodie causing his cute underwear to peek out at times. To Mingyu's utter horror, the guy hadn't bothered to change those pink panties he'd had the honor of witnessing under the dim light of the club so you could imagine the turmoil it caused in Mingyu's south region. Looking away as quickly as possible to not raise suspicion in his friend, he rubbed the back of his neck, eyes focused on his bare feet.

'Uh, Dahyun's coming over and I wanted to bake her some cookies but I ran out of sugar, so I thought that maybe you-'

'Yeah, yeah, go and take anything you want, it's in the cupboard somewhere, I think,' Jaehyun ushered him to the kitchen, clearly impatient because he got interrupted at such intimate moment with his boyfriend. Mingyu felt the guilt from intruding so he flashed his blond friend a grateful smile and strolled away to the kitchen, searching for the needed ingredient. He was successful in not turning his head and look at Wonwoo who was still hastily picking up the mess, judging from the shuffling noise around the room and Mingyu could swear he heard him squeal something along the lines of _'not when Mingyu's here'_ and okay, Mingyu had to get out fast. God knows what was Jaehyun trying to do while he wasn't watching. Thankfully, he found the sugar in the first cupboard he opened. Sighing in relief, he grabbed the bag and with eyes locked on the floor, he shuffled over to the living room.

'Thanks a lot, man, I'll make an extra batch of cookies for you.' He didn't dare to look up, afraid to do so and raised a hand as he bid the couple a quick goodbye. He didn't let them say theirs as he shut the door behind him the fastest he could.

Mingyu was sure by now the universe hated him. How else he could explain the heat spreading through his body, turning him into an embarrassingly big tomato. Stepping into Jaehyun's apartment uninvited was dangerous. He should refrain from coming there without knocking first or something. At least when there was a slight chance of bumping into Wonwoo again.

Sighing, Mingyu put the sugar on the counter, rubbing his hands over his face. He should do something about that stupid gay crush or he was sure his head might explode. Or his balls. Either way, it was bad for his health and the strictly platonic friendship he'd had with the cute boy. Wonwoo was a good friend and ruining their friendship just because Mingyu's dick decided to find his body worth attention, wasn't on the top of his list. Not only that but it was unfair to Dahyun as well. Their relationship wasn't perfect but she was still his girlfriend.

'It's all your fault,' he scolded his groin with a grunt before grabbing the neatly folded apron from the bar stool and putting it on. Mingyu got to work with a mind dead-set on his girlfriend and all the cute puppies that ever existed.

 

  
Engrossed in making the best cookies with a soft music playing from the TV, Mingyu almost missed the melodic ring echoing from the hallway. After retrieving the last batch from the overheated oven, he brushed his dirty hands over the apron he was wearing and turned the TV off before quickly rushing to the front door.

Mingyu had never been more grateful for the girl's presence than he was now. Not wasting a second, he pulled Dahyun into a heated kiss, hands wandering all over her delicate body before slipping inside the thin shirt, caressing the soft skin there. Surprised, she stumbled forward as Mingyu's hands pulled her inside the apartment, relaxing into the kiss.

Once they got past the make-out session, they settled on the couch sipping on the wine Mingyu had kept stored in his fridge. He shouldn't have let Dahyun drink when the girl still had a fair amount of alcohol from yesterday in her system but he didn't want to drink alone and a few glasses of wine hadn't killed anyone so why not. The cookies he made were also disappearing from the plate he set on the coffee table, one by one, making Mingyu proud of his work because Dahyun, apparently, was done with her diet, at least for now, munching on the sweets with delight. They spend a good amount of hours curled up on the couch, doing pretty much nothing than watching a re-run of some drama, the bottle of the red wine sitting empty on the table.

Slightly tipsy, Mingyu plopped down on the bed with a thump, bringing his girlfriend with him. They didn't do much talking and that was okay, Mingyu really wasn't interested in knowing how amazing the party had been and Dahyun also didn't need to know how his night in the club ended up being. So instead of talking about their activities, they settled in the comfort of the bed, naked limbs tangled together, flushed from the hot shower they had taken just a few moments ago, the silence covering the room disrupted only by the soft noise of two people breathing heavily each other's names as they made love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the late update, I hope the chapter wasn't too boring to read. ;;


	9. Nine.

Mingyu was sitting on his couch with legs spread over the coffee table and a laptop on his lap. It was around ten in the morning, there was no need to wash the sheets because he hadn't had any incident for a while now; the dreams still kept coming back but- they weren't sexual anymore. They still involved Wonwoo; but now it was just him doing nothing than looking up at Mingyu with his sharp, beautiful eyes while they were walking on the street, fingers intertwined. Wonwoo's hand was soft and fit perfectly in his own, like it was made for him to hold. Each dream he'd been having for these past few days were just them on a different date on a different day. Everything was soft and casual, like something you'd see in a romantic movie. They'd have pizza and all that good stuff from that one restaurant in Itaewon, sometimes they'd settle for an ice-cream, with Wonwoo flashing his best puppy look to have some from Mingyu's share and the younger would let him, watching the older take a bite too big and then grimacing at the coldness in his mouth. Mingyu would laugh at his misery but eventually, he'd stop and pull Wonwoo into a kiss, tasting the mint of his ice-cream on his tongue.  
And sometimes, they'd just lay down on the grass, side to side and Wonwoo would rest his head on his chest, listening to his heart beating only, only for him.

Dreams like these made Mingyu realize, as he woke up one morning to an empty space next to his and no one to hold, that maybe, it wasn't a crush anymore. Mingyu craved for the other boy's touch as well as his heart.

In other words, he was so, so screwed.

Mingyu needed advice and someone to talk to. He didn't trust anyone of his friends from school to that extent because the matter was very personal and Yeri had problems of her own but there was still one person who could maybe help him.

His best friend.

The time difference between China and South Korea shouldn't be that big, he mused and pressed the button on the video call. It took exactly three rings before a familiar face he hadn't seen since the summer appeared on the screen.

'Minghao, I need help.' The words blurted out on their own, startling the grumpy and sleepy boy on the screen momentarily.

'Well, hello to you, too.' The groggy voice echoing from the speakers greeted back. 'Thanks for waking me up, asshole.'

The red mess of a hair appearing on the screen made Mingyu chuckle. He waved at the person who sent a middle finger right back at him.

_'Baby? Who are you talking to?'_

Mingyu noticed a slim figure of someone pacing behind his friend's back, mumbling something in Mandarin before a light from the room helped him recognize the person.

'I see you're kinda busy,' Mingyu wiggled with his eyebrows, 'did I interrupt something?'

Before Minghao could answer, a woman popped up on the screen, her hair long and pretty, soft breasts pressed against the back of the chair, making it impossible to look away as it was a really impressive pair of boobs. Damn, Minghao. Always getting the best ones on the market.

The woman, Jian was her name, giggled, combing her boyfriend's hair with her long, skinny fingers. 'Oh no, sweetie! We were just about to head to school, right, _honey_?' She pinched Minghao's cheek in a loving manner, like a mother. Well, the woman wasn't that old yet but there was still a considerable gap of seven years between her and her boyfriend. Mingyu always joked about her being Minghao's sugar mommy because she always spoiled the younger with expensive gifts. Minghao never denied it, though. He always looked out for mature women so it didn't come that surprising when his friend showed up with an older noona by his side the first time they video-called like that.

'Aw, noona, you're still driving Hao to his classes?' Mingyu purposely raised his voice in pitch just to annoy his best friend. 'That's so nice!'

The woman giggled, pecking Minghao on the cheek before excusing herself. You know, girl stuff.

'Okay, what's so important you had to interrupt my precious sleep?' The red-head promptly raised a brow at his friend. 'Surely it's not because you love ruining people's sleep routine. That'd make you a giant dick.'

That made Mingyu laugh but it quickly faded into a nervous chuckle. Oh, well.

'Hao,' he gulped, hand raking through his messy hair, 'I think I might not be fully straight.'

Surprisingly, no shock or a gasp came from the stoic face his best friend had on in that exact moment. Minghao didn't look fazed one bit. He just grinned- fucking grinned, leaning back on the chair.

'You don't say.'

Mingyu gave him an incredulous look. 'What the fuck is that reaction? Isn't that shocking to you? 'Cause for me it totally fucking is!' His voice had gone an octave higher. 'I've been straight since birth, and then some pretty dude with a nice face and personality waltz into my life, making me question my own sexuality and all you have to reply is _you don't say_? Like what the actual fuck? I thought we're friends- and stop fucking laughing, it's not funny!' Mingyu rambled, getting red in the face.

Minghao cackled loudly then, amused. It just made Mingyu more angry.

'You bitch, I'm pouring my heart to you here, show some understanding, will you!'

'Yeah I noticed but really, Mingyu,' the red-head wiped a tear from his eyes, 'you had it in you since that time you fawned upon that cute guy back in middle school. You just hadn't noticed because you're dense as a rock but you were so obvious with your crush. Remember how you'd spend your lunch break stealing glances at that boy- what was his name again- oh, Eunwoo! Yeah, him.'

Mingyu felt his cheeks turn bright red and Minghao wasn't even finished yet.

'You kept staring at him and don't think I never noticed the doodles in your sketchbook full of his name with hearts and words like _Eunwoo-ya is the cutest_ and _I wanna hold hands with him_ or something like that so yeah, I kinda figured you swung the other way, too.' The red-head ended his ment with a proud smile, leaving Mingyu embarrassingly flushed at the memory. Those were dark times he'd long buried. Yet Minghao dug it out like the little shit he always was. Honestly, Mingyu had forgotten about the boy.

But remembering all those things from the past made him finally accept the fact that he, indeed, liked both men and women. And okay, Mingyu was no longer confused but royaly screwed now.  
Flushed down to his neck, he buried his face in his hands. He'd dated girls for the majority of his life and this territory was all new for him. What should he do now?

'Fuck. You think it's possible God sent Wonwoo to drag my gay ass out or something like that?'

'Who's that?' Minghao raised a brow at the unfamiliar name.

'Oh, it's the guy I like.' He couldn't even cringe at his own words anymore.

Minghao's eyes narrowed. 'Is he cute?'

'Oh, you can't even imagine-'

And just like that, Mingyu's mouth seemed to not know when to stop as it kept blurting out every single thing Wonwoo had ever done; from the best muffins he'd given him at the end of their first (and very much awkward) meeting because he was starving, to the adorable sense of fashion- how Wonwoo seemed to love oversized clothes that made him look so _tiny_ (Mingyu still couldn't get over the pink sweater the latter had worn on their second meeting) and how undeniably cute his manners were; there was so much about the guy that made Mingyu's heart flutter but the best one had yet to be the kindness Wonwoo had treated him with- how caring and soft he was for all his friends, _for Mingyu_ \- it was hard to not like the guy. Seriously. What an angel.

'-and goddamn Hao, don't even get me started how freaking cute he looks in glasses-'

'Oh my God, you're so whipped for him.' The snicker was clear enough for Mingyu to hear. 'He sounds like a nice guy but it'd be better if I could place a face to the personality, too. Don't you think?'

Mingyu rolled his eyes but fished for his phone to look for the best photo showing Wonwoo's cuteness. The one he'd picked was from their first official meeting when they were to spy on their siblings and ended getting busted. The flower crown on Wonwoo still made Mingyu smile like an idiot, the guy was so damn adorable.

A hum echoed from his laptop as Minghao received the photo. 'You weren't lying, for once. I suggest you go for him.'

Mingyu nearly choked on air.

'I- I can't do that!' He hated the fact he stuttered in response.

'Why not?'

'Seriously, Hao? I still have a girlfriend and besides,' his voice fell into a whisper, 'he's already dating a guy.'

Minghao grimaced. 'I don't see a problem here. Dahyun was never the right one for you anyway, she's only dragging you down. She can't give you the emotional support you need but the Wonwoo guy might. He seems like the type if we take into consideration all the mushy shit wasn't just you fangirling. You should break up with her before it's too late and then chase the guy. It's for the best.'

'Hao-'

'Who's the boyfriend though? Do I know him?' Minghao didn't seem to let him finish, pressing on the matter with his hypnotizing eyes. Even though the screen was the only thing separating them, Mingyu felt uncomfortable just by the unwavering gaze on him. He could just shut his laptop off and end the conversation but his fingers froze on the keyboard, mindlessly wandering over the buttons like a ghost.

Mingyu bit his lip when he gave his friend the answer.

'Yeah, uh- it's Jaehyun.'

There was a long pause. Mingyu thought for a second the signal got disconnected since his best friend remained unmoving but then he blinked and another sigh left his lips.

'I'll tell you honestly,' Minghao ran a hand through his messy hair, leaning back in his chair. 'I've known that guy long enough to see he'll end up breaking your boy's heart one day; with the way Jaehyun is, I doubt he'd settle with someone when there's still so many dicks and boobs he could fool around with.'

'But he looks different now-'

'Mingyu,' his friend's voice was stern, 'Jaehyun is a playboy, no cute guy with the best personality can change that. He's a wild animal, he can't be tamed.'

His words stung like a needle in his veins. The image of his friend leaving Wonwoo because he found someone better to be around, didn't sit well with Mingyu. Because seriously, who would do that to such a precious human being? It was painful just thinking about it.

'Break up with Dahyun and confess to Wonwoo.'

Mingyu groaned in frustration. That was easier said than done.

'You might get rejected but I don't think it'd ruin your friendship with Wonwoo if that's what you're concerned about. It's better to let it out than to hold it in and live in regret until you realize you could've done better. What do you know, maybe the guy holds feelings for you, too.'

'As a brother, maybe.'

It was Minghao's turn to groan. 'You won't know until you try. Hey, I'm sorry if my advice isn't enough help for you but at least think about it, yeah? I love you but you deserve so much better and I want you to be happy. Seeing you torn like this makes my heart ache, you know?' He pouted and Mingyu felt his eyes getting blurry. God, Minghao could be a little shit most of the time but this side of him still managed to make him cry. He wasn't his best friend for nothing, after all.

Slumping on the couch, Mingyu nodded at last, hands rubbing his face.

'I know. I'm sorry, too. But thanks. Uh- it might take some time but I think I'll do it, confessing to him, I mean. Just, after I get my shit together, I guess.'

He watched the pout on Minghao's lips curl into a smile.

'That's the spirit.'

Mingyu chuckled, feeling a lot better, now that he shared some of his burdens with his best friend. The woman behind Minghao's back then shouted something in Mandarin and the red-head nodded in agreement, turning his attention back to Mingyu.

'Well, I have morning classes to attend to, so I better be going now. Thanks for being honest with me, I'll root for you and Wonwoo to work it out,' he winked, fingers crossed. Mingyu blushed at that, but it made the other laugh out loud.

'Hey, Hao.'

'Hm?'

Mingyu sent a finger heart to the boy on the screen, smiling.

'I love you.'

'Gross,' Minghao faked a gag, 'but same,' and sent a finger heart back.

 

  
*****

 

  
First two weeks of October passed by a blur; preparations for the fall season had Mingyu exhausted at every day's end, meaning no dirty thoughts about his friend came to irritate his body and soul; their team's coach and his drill sessions made sure of that. Everything the boys could think of was the comfort of their beds. Mingyu had never appreciated sleep more.

Friday was the worst though, the digital numbers on the huge board showed a bright 6 pm, and if Baekho wasn't there to persuade the coach, they'd end up doing an extra hour worth of practice. Mingyu grimaced at his sweaty hands, he was soaked down to his legs it wasn't even funny. The only thing keeping him alive and walking was the vision of the shower awaiting for him in the gym's bathroom. He almost slipped on the sweat-covered floor if not for Jaehyun's swift hand pulling him up by the collar of his jersey. Mingyu turned around with a thanks on his tongue, patting his friend on the back in gratitude. Jaehyun laughed it off with a tired smile; the exhaustion caught up to him at last, Mingyu noticed his arms glistening with sweat, muscles contorting from being used too much. His team had a very strong physique and could endure any type of shit the coach pulled at them but the intensity of those two weeks of nothing than practicing, it'd leave any trained person exhausted on the verge of passing out. They'd fulfilled the norm with some praises here and there from Baekho who tried to keep the guys motivated to get through the hell. Thank God for weekends, Mingyu sighed in relief, making his way to the locker room with the boys in tow.

'I can't wait to hit the bed, man,' Hansol exhaled deeply after he changed into his normal clothes, all fresh and flushed from the shower. A shout of _'same'_ from the others echoed through the room and Mingyu huffed wordlessly in agreement, throwing his training bag over his shoulder. He couldn't wait long enough to get home and just sleep through the whole weekend. Knowing how tired he was, it was most likely he'll pass out on the couch like a dead person.  
He just got out from the gym and was on his way to the car when he felt his phone vibrating against his thigh. Clumsily, because his hand still burned from Jeongguk's hard passes, he fumbled to get the password right. He succeeded at his second try. Immediately, he noticed the sender's ID- it wasn't common to have Seo Youngho texting him out of the blue. It made Mingyu's brows raise up. The content of the text though, was the most surprising. Somehow, the older had decided it was a good idea to invite Mingyu over to his house the next weekend. Something about playing games and getting funky; an all guys' night in Youngho's words. Mingyu cringed at the dumb name. It was also mentioned he'd invited Jaehyun with the latter agreeing to come and that pretty much convicted Mingyu to reply with a _yeah, sure_. The coach promised the team a day off next Friday if they beat their first opponent in the league. The school they were up against had good statistics but Mingyu was confident they'd wipe the floor with them.

To no one's surprise, they'd won the first match with ease, crushing the weak defense of the opposing team with almost twenty points difference.

Mingyu had been too busy celebrating their victory with the vision of a free weekend he failed to check the notification he'd set up later for Saturday. He almost overslept and didn't make it on time, only the call from Youngho waking him from the much deserved sleep, asking if he got his ass stuck in a traffic because everyone's waiting for him. He was not one to break a promise so quick on his feet, he sprinted to the bathroom, washing his face to look less of a zombie and then fishing his training bag from the closet to put some spare clothes and random hygienic stuff inside.

Jaehyun must've been already on the way to Youngho's place, Mingyu left his apartment in a rush while cursing his friend for ditching his ass and fetch for himself. In the rush of things, it didn't appear to Mingyu that since Jaehyun had been invited, Wonwoo might've been as well.

So you could imagine his shock when he stepped inside the huge house owned by Youngho's rich ass and coincidentally abroad parents and got surrounded by three couples, minus that Mark kid who greeted him with a relieved smile and no one on his side. Among all the people in the room, Mingyu was the one without a partner. Of course, Youngho had said it was a guys' night or whatever so coming here with his girlfriend was a big no. It was kind of unfair to people like him but thank God there was Mark who seemed single as well so he didn't feel left out. At least Mingyu knew everyone in the room; Youngho who opened the door for him with a huge grin plastered on his face, grabbed for Taeyong to pull him close to his side. Then there was Soonyoung who was sitting on a love seat in the corner with Chan on his lap, the couple lovingly squishing each other's cheeks and Mingyu couldn't get over their cuteness. And lastly, the most dangerous couple out there, the one that Mingyu wished he'd avoid until he got his feelings resolved. He'd planned to strangle Jaehyun for the dick move he pulled on him earlier but all the fight vanished into thin air when his eyes landed on a sleeping figure of Wonwoo, curled comfortably on his boyfriend's lap. The sight reminded him of the night in the club where he had the slender body pressed exactly like that against his. It also didn't help that it was the warmest day of the month, so Wonwoo was conveniently wearing a thin sleeveless shirt and those dangerous, tiny shorts. Seriously, how much did the guy think Mingyu's heart could take before exploding?  
An alarming heat rushed over his body and Mingyu successfully averted his gaze, praying to God he didn't get a reaction down there. Thankfully, the sight left his dick sleeping peacefully in his shorts, just made his body slightly bothered. Mingyu contemplated of visiting church soon.

'I'm so glad you came! I was this close from losing hope, being the only straight dude here,' Mark visibly relaxed, high-fiving Mingyu who took a seat beside him. The kid got comfortable around him quite fast, there was no hint of awkwardness between them.

Mingyu bit his lip, twirling with his fingers on his lap.

_Straight, huh? Try again, buddy._

'Yeah, I honestly thought you'd ditch me for your girlfriend or something,' Youngho rubbed the back of his neck, looking genuinely sorry for doubting Mingyu. The younger brushed it off with a shrug, eyes wandering around the room only to end up on the couple seated on the couch again.

'He even tried to make Seungcheol and Jihoon to join us but the guys are so fucking busy with all the stuff in the studio, it's like they're already married to work,' Soonyoung whined loudly then, making the others laugh at that. Mingyu wasn't familiar with that Jihoon guy but he must be a very devoted and hard-working person.

'Shh, quiet you guys or you wake the baby.' Jaehyun's voice then nagged at them, slowly rocking his boyfriend on his lap. Mingyu just then noticed the strong resemblance to a kitten as he watched Wonwoo nuzzle his head into the crook of Jaehyun's neck, limbs folded on his lap, making it seem like he was a tiny little baby. It was mad cute if he was being honest. Mingyu couldn't help but be intrigued by the adorableness. Suddenly he wished to switch places with Jaehyun and just feel the older boy's warmth against him. God, he wanted to pet his head so bad.

'I'm not sleeping, I'm just tired,' Wonwoo mumbled, attempting to rub his eyes from the sleepiness. Yeah, not sleeping, alright. 'I had a tough night shift. One of the kids tried to kill themselves. They've been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, it's quite a handful. I don't know how they even managed to retrieve a knife, we have dangerous objects under lock,' he sighed, shifting in his position a little so that he faced the guys. 'There was so much blood.'

Soonyoung shuddered. 'Wow, what a way to sound gory and it's not even Halloween yet.'

'Did the kid survive?' Mingyu asked, slightly concerned.

'Thankfully yes, they're being locked and supervised now but they need stronger meds to keep the illness under control.' He could sense a hint of weariness in Wonwoo's voice and the bags under his eyes proved he didn't get much sleep. Must've been because of the mess at work, Mingyu assumed.

'Christ, that's awful as hell.' The boys nodded in unison, agreeing with Soonyoung's remark.

'Ugh, you guys. I brought you here to have fun, not to scare the living shit out of me,' Youngho whined at them, shivering a little from the story. Wonwoo mumbled something like an apology before reverting back into snuggling his boyfriend.

'Okay now, since everyone's already here, what about you tell them about the games you've prepared, babe?' Taeyong then asked to shift the topic elsewhere. It got everyone's attention, all eyes were on the tall man. Youngho's face brightened up almost instantly, taking his much smaller boyfriend into his arms to squeeze him in a hug before promptly rushing to some other room. He returned back with a board and a paper box.

'What's that for?' Chan asked, one of his eyebrows raised as he took in the props in his hyung's hands. He squirmed in discomfort upon receiving a smirk from the older, clinging to Soonyoung who was eyeing the man suspiciously.

Youngho showed them a board. There was something written on the top rows, Mingyu squinted his eyes a little to make out of the games they'll be playing later. Water volleyball was first. Oh. So that's why he was reminded to bring swim trunks with him. Made sense. Mingyu nodded, scanning the rest of the content written on the board. A total of four colors must've represented the participants- people in this room. Red, blue, yellow and green. So they were most likely going to play as couples. Okay, he could do that.

'We'll divide into teams by drawing from this box of fate,' Youngho giggled at the name he'd just created, wiggling with the paper box in his hand. 'The one that gets the most points in the games can pick a movie for the night and also choose beds they'll be sleeping on. Of course, the losing team with the least points will cook food for the rest of the weekend so don't ever think of cheating. Don't forget everything you do is in pair, yeah?' There were collective hums around him. 'Just a heads up- if you get caught touching anyone that's not your game partner, whether it's kisses, groping of any sorts or God forbid _sex_ , a punishment will take place so hands to yourselves, boys. Mark and Mingyu have an advantage since they're straight but the rules apply to all of us.'

'That's unfair!' Soonyoung whined, already regretting of ever accepting Youngho's invite.

'What kinda punishment?' It was Mingyu who asked, out of curiosity, fingers anxiously tapping against his thigh.

'I'm glad you asked, brother,' Youngho smacked him on the back in a friendly manner, a mischievous grin forming in the corners of his mouth. 'If you get caught, you gotta kiss your game partner wherever you like.' A sound of disagreement broke the tense atmosphere and Mingyu wanted to die on the spot just for asking that, even though he was safe from the punishment. It didn't matter who he'd end up picking up; well- as long as it wasn't Wonwoo, he'd manage with ease. The horrified looks on everyone's faces were painful enough to look at, though.

 _Poor guys,_ he thought.

'That's plain cruel, hyung,' Wonwoo pouted, unconsciously clutching Jaehyun's hand in a tight grip, not really keen on letting him go to any of the guys.

'Doesn't that count as cheating?' Chan retorted, uneasy. A couple of heads agreed, nodding adamantly. Soonyoung then started threatening the oldest with so many curse words until his boyfriend had to calm him down.

Youngho just rolled his eyes at the bunch of whiny babies complaining around him. 'It's just a game! Jesus, guys, don't be such party poopers- You might end up picking your own boyfriend if you're lucky enough so suck it and start choosing.' He pushed the paper box towards the closest person. Taeyong, who had been observing his friends' reactions went first. He swiftly hid the colored paper behind his back as if to preserve the tension that was too thick already. They continued with the guys following his steps; from Jaehyun to Wonwoo, who suppressed a yawn, then shifted to a sulky Soonyoung with Chan occupying his lap. Mingyu didn't know what color the others chose but he hoped Wonwoo didn't get green like him. He passed the box to Youngho who got his own color, the only one that was left. The tension in the room was suffocating.

'Okay,' Youngho then inhaled dramatically, 'now it's time for you guys to show the color you've drawn out. All at once, and no whining if you don't end up with the one you wanted.' The remark was directed to Soonyoung who just huffed out in annoyance. Mingyu was secretly rooting for the guy to have picked the same color as his little boyfriend.

Eight hands with colored papers then sprung out, and a series of displeased groans filled the room. Mingyu glanced over at everyone's color, looking for an identical to his only to have his face fall into the one of utter shock when his soon to be partner locked eyes with him, mimicking similar expression to his own. The universe sure loved to toy with him; Mingyu must've done some serious crime in his past life to be treated like this.

Oddly enough, no one ended up with their boyfriend. Youngho got paired up with Chan, while Soonyoung waved with a relieved smile at Tayeong- his new game partner. Jaehyun looked calm but his grip on Wonwoo's waist tightened, eliciting a pained hiss from the older boy. Mingyu swore the blond's eyes flashed a pitch black when he noticed the green paper on both his friend's and boyfriend's palm before the usual warmness replaced the color of his soft irises. Because somehow, Wonwoo managed to pick the same color as Mingyu so that left Mark and Jaehyun as the last pair. That also meant he had to spend one day and a half with the source of his wet dreams slash crush and what was worse, sleep in a bed together.

_Fuck._

Mingyu gulped nervously, sweat pouring like a waterfall down his temple when Wonwoo got out of his comfortable seat just to settle down next to him, legs pulled up to his chest. He looked like he was sulking, lips pursed in a pout.

'Sorry you had to end up with me,' Mingyu whispered in a small voice, getting only surprised when the older laughed in response.

Wonwoo shook his head. 'Nah, that's okay. It's kinda relieving I've got you and not someone like Soonyoung because we'd probably lose every game on the board. I feel sorry for Taeyong hyung though, Soonyoung is a literal slob in sports.'

'Hey! I heard you!' The blond yelled from his seat, frowning when Wonwoo playfully stuck his tongue at him.

Something about that forced a huge grin curl up at the corners of Mingyu's lips and despite the internal screaming from the close proximity with the cute guy, he couldn't help but feel giddy and excited for the fun Youngho had in store for them.  
'Think we can win everything in there?' He pointed at the board, sheepish grin matching Wonwoo's own.

'You bet, big guy.'

 

  
The guys spent the following hour deciding on their strategy for the first upcoming game planned for the day; a water volleyball. The net was already put out along the width of the enormous pool, Mingyu kind of wanted to dive in upon seeing the crystal clear water, to cool off his heated skin. It was so hot, the sun was unbearable, burning patterns into his skin. Youngho couldn't have chosen a better day.  
The weather made Mingyu strip off of his already sweaty shirt, leaving him only in the swim trunks he'd fished out of his training bag. He felt a bit anxious from the eyes suddenly turning at him when Soonyoung actually gasped out loud, bluntly checking the abs on full display with a low whistle. Mingyu laughed heartily only when Chan whacked the obvious staring out of his boyfriend.  
With a smile still hanging on his lips, Mingyu watched their first opponent, Taeyong and Soonyoung, get in the pool with small steps, shuddering from the sudden coldness of the water. The smile had quickly vanished when Taeyong hopped onto his partner's back, crawling up until his legs ended dangling on both sides of the blond's neck. Oh. So they were going to play like _that_. If that was the case then fuck. Mingyu was screwed.

'What are you waiting for? Got cold feet? Get in here, you big oak tree!' Soonyoung shouted in a mocking tone, challenging Mingyu with a wild look in his eyes. A poke to his side made the tall boy wince and he looked down to be met with Wonwoo's unsure eyes. He looked equally as nervous as him.

'No offense but I don't think I'd be able to carry you like this so if that's okay, we could switch-' Mingyu didn't wait for Wonwoo to finish, just dived straight into the water, tasting the coolness surrounding his body before walking backward until his back hit the poolside.

'Hop on.'

Mingyu couldn't help but shudder as Wonwoo's milky thighs hugged his neck in a clutch, the tiny shorts not helping in covering them at all. They looked so smooth and delectable, so much more than the ones in his dreams and wow, Mingyu was gone. He regained senses though, gripping the bony ankles to hold the older still on his shoulders. The game was about to start, with Soonyoung trying to shake his opponents' confidence by making inappropriate remarks into the air. He failed in the end, getting sulky but more fired up.

It appeared Wonwoo was good at defending their team as well as on the offense, sending the ball back with a force it almost hit Taeyong in the head one time, getting them some good points so they were now highly ahead of his friends. The loud cheering from the others fuelled Mingyu's hunger for victory; it was like he was experiencing the rush he felt in the court. They couldn't lose now.  
Thankfully, Wonwoo made sure of that. At one point, the tables had turned and the Soonyoung-Taeyong couple managed to get a draw. The time on Youngho's timer was ticking, if Wonwoo could defend the next ball, they'd win.

The course of the ball Taeyong had sent was high, out of Wonwoo's normal reach and Mingyu nearly lost hope when the older whispered something that got him shaking.

'Jump the best you can and flex your abs.'

'What?'

'Just do it.'

Weird request but Mingyu complied, tightening his grip around Wonwoo's ankles and bending his knees before jumping out of the water, not forgetting to arch his back, his muscles contorting at the flex. Soonyoung's position wavered upon seeing the sight unraveling before his own eyes and his foot slipped on the tiled floor, pulling himself and his partner under water. Thanks to Soonyoung's misstep, Wonwoo was able to smash the ball over the net with no one to return it back as Taeyong got swallowed by the water. The timer announced the end of the first round and Mark who had been in charge of noting down the points, drew a line right next to the green color representing Mingyu's and Wonwoo's team. A loud cheer erupted at the winners, Chan throwing his head back in laughter before helping his boyfriend get out of the pool.

'I think your six pack just won us the first round,' Wonwoo laughed softly, high-fiving Mingyu in the process.

The younger joined in, laughing a little himself. 'At least you know they're not just for show.'

 

  
Surprisingly, Wonwoo was in a really competitive spirit that day, making it hard for the other couples score against them, wiggling on Mingyu's shoulders as he tried to make the best of his abilities to send the ball back flying over the net. Chan was a good opponent, better than Taeyong, at pushing back but even despite his strength and Youngho's fast reflexes, their team ended up on the losing side, with Wonwoo deciding the score with a powerful slash. So far they were in the lead, waiting only for the last couple to crush. Mingyu felt a bit uneasy, competing against his friend and teammate didn't sound too appealing but Wonwoo's fiery eyes were clearly telling him he shouldn't hold back.  
The anxiety was still there, though. Jaehyun had a good physique, his legs being one of the strongest points of his body so it was understandable that the sweat covering the younger's palms wasn't caused by the heat. Mingyu bit his lip, anxiously tapping with his foot as he watched Jaehyun jump into the pool, his partner already crawling onto his broad shoulders. He finished the slushie Taeyong had brought to cool off their heated bodies with a long slurp and was about to plop into the water when Wonwoo grabbed him by the wrist, forcing his head to tilt to the side as the older whispered his concern.

'Do you know if Jaehyunnie has a weakness?' He asked, blinking his eyes oh so innocently, lips pursed in a pout. Mingyu was once again baffled by the sheer cuteness the older boy expressed through his little antics. He wanted to squish his cheeks and kiss him all over the face. Ugh.  
Still, the fondness of the pet name he called his boyfriend with quickly pulled him out of his reverie. Mingyu thought for a second. As far as he had known, there was barely anything that could be considered a weakness for Jaehyun; maybe a good pair of boobs or something like that but that was impossible at the moment. But then he remembered that one training session in the first year at Uni and an idea popped up.

'Not sure if that helps but Jae makes mistakes when he's angry.' He whispered back, ignoring the annoying shouting from Soonyoung to get their asses into the water and start the last game. 'I can't think of anything to get him angry though, the guy can hold it in like a pro.' The mischievous grin his suggestion received had Mingyu quirk a brow at the shorter boy. Wonwoo looked like he knew something and not wasting a second, he dragged a confused Mingyu back inside the house, yelling over his shoulder that he needed to change his shirt because the one he had on was soaking wet.  
They ended up in the living room, with Wonwoo stopping only to ask Mingyu where he put his bag. The younger pointed at the one in the very corner, squished by the stuff from other boys. His brows disappeared under his wet bangs, breath hitching when Wonwoo fished out a shirt he used for practice. The plain white one, two sizes bigger on him with the two-headed lion printed on the front, their team's mascot. What in the world was Wonwoo planning on doing-

An embarrassing squeak left his mouth when the older started to undress before his very own eyes, stripping off of the wet shirt only to put Mingyu's _fucking own_ on his skinny body. Wasn't Wonwoo supposed to be like, shy or something? Why was he suddenly so unbothered by another man's eyes watching him change clothes? He acted nothing like that back in the dressing room in the mall.  
Turning around to face the younger, Wonwoo blushed a pretty pink, fingers twirling with the hem of the shirt whose length reached down to his mid-thighs, making it seem like there was nothing underneath. Mingyu felt like passing out. He might as well because that was like his dreams slowly coming true.

'I'm gonna borrow it for a while, it's necessary for us to win.'

Mingyu blinked, not getting the idea of that at all.

'Why it's gotta be my shirt, though?' He managed to ask before his wrist was grabbed once again, forcing his legs to follow the older outside. Once the guys spotted them, Soonyoung immediately nagged them to go in, quite impatient by now.  
Mingyu understood just then, why his shirt was important. The frown taking over Jaehyun's soft features deepened when taking in the visual of his slender boyfriend being engulfed by Mingyu's shirt. He glanced down at the shorter boy who just smiled prettily, the blush still present on the apples of his cheeks.

'Sorry it took so long, I couldn't find anything suitable to wear so Gyu let me borrow one of his shirts. Sweet, isn't he?'

Mingyu tried not to choke on his spit as the light, giggly voice reached his ears and for a moment, his heart felt like bursting into pieces when Wonwoo lifted the hem of the shirt up to his middle, folding the front into a messed up ribbon. His Uni shirt was suddenly reduced to a crop-top and that was apparently enough for Mingyu to explode right there. It got worse when Wonwoo patted the bulky bicep on his arm, complimenting the muscle mass in that giggly voice of his. Mingyu shuddered at the murderous aura surrounding Jaehyun like an invisible cloak, fingers gripping hard on Mark's ankles. Good God, he hoped none of the kid's bones got broken.

'See? It's working just right. Now, let's win this.' Wonwoo grinned, waiting for Mingyu to get into the water, climbing up onto his shoulders with ease. There was so much shouting and yelling when they got in, Wonwoo caging Mingyu's neck in a strong hold but not enough to suffocate him, cracking his knuckles with a challenging look towards Mark. Taeyong gasped audibly into his half-finished slushie, only scolding Soonyoung later for throwing some lewd comments about his best friend with a huge grin.

A whistle from Youngho announced the start of the last game and Mingyu got into position, beet red down to his neck probably because Wonwoo's naked stomach kept rubbing against the back of his head in a very disturbing way. Thank God the water covered half of his body, conveniently hiding the growing bulge straining his shorts. Biting his lip, Mingyu kept a close eye on his opponent, wincing only slightly at Jaehyun's face clouded with something akin to anger.

In the end, the strategy worked perfectly.

Mingyu watched in amazement as Jaehyun kept messing the timing, fingers loosening around Mark's ankles at some point, the boy losing his balance and falling off his shoulders just when Wonwoo delivered a fatal blow to their side of the net. Jaehyun cursed under his breath, teeth gritted in annoyance. Mingyu was bewildered. Seriously? That was all that it took? A simple sight of his boyfriend being touchy with another man and the hell broke free? Unbelievable. But understandable. Seeing his friend swayed off because of his boyfriend was a new kind of feeling for Mingyu. The move, albeit nasty helped them win the game though, leaving the others far behind by a few points. So he wasn't really complaining.

'You're so fucking unbelievable, hyung.' Mingyu huffed, still in awe at how good the strategy worked in their success. Wonwoo shrugged nonchalantly at that, unfolding the knot on the shirt, cheeks painted cherry red because he felt the stare of Mingyu's eyes.

 

  
The heat had visibly reduced by the time they started a new game for the day: darts. Youngho had proved to be very skilled, acquiring high points after another but when he'd thought the victory was his, Wonwoo crushed him by beating his score by fifteen. The other couples noticed the unbeatable duo winning the games like it was the easiest thing to do, accusing the green team of cheating. Wonwoo just rolled his eyes, casually noting that it was their lack of strategy and skill, facing a stomping hamster afterward. Mingyu was concerned about his partner's well-being as the blond looked at him with a fight in his eyes. A pair of strong arms held him still in place. Turned out to be Chan who unconsciously clung to his boyfriend only to receive a call out from Mark. The couples were reminded there were rules to follow and unfortunately, one of them broke it. Chan had no choice than to face the punishment; tiptoeing, he leaned in and kissed Youngho on the cheek, flushed red in embarrassment. Mingyu searched for Soonyoung, sighing in relief when the older pursed his lips but not attempting to fight the much bigger senior.

'I won't get mad only because it was really cute.' Everyone laughed at Soonyoung's pouting face, now seeking comfort in Taeyong's arms.

After the first punishment of the day, they played some more games Mingyu didn't bother of remembering the names of and his team slaughtered the other teams in two of them. With the total of four wins, he was sure they'd end up as winners once they were done. Each time one of them scored a point, they'd high-five and it sent Mingyu on a high because Wonwoo was so spontaneous and carefree, and Mingyu didn't have a boner incident since the water volleyball so he could look the other in the eyes and joke with him without having any inappropriate thoughts ruining their moments. In the heat of things, Mingyu failed to notice the uncomfortable clench of Jaehyun's jaw as he watched the two interact.

Last game listed on the board were charades. To everyone's surprise, it was where Soonyoung and Taeyong shone the most, beating the other couples with a sweep of their hands. The two apparently shared one brain cell or something because they managed to guess everything on the cardboards Mark had been turning like mad. A loud clapping for their performance was satisfying enough, Soonyoung happily pulling the red-head into a tight hug, not forgetting to brag about the flawless win to the green team. Wonwoo rolled his eyes at that but clapped along with Mingyu who looked a bit sad they weren't able to get the last win.  
And because the sun had already set behind the horizon, Youngho decided it was a good time to count the points down and announce the overall winner. It was clear after the fourth game who had the upper hand. Wonwoo high-fived Mingyu with the biggest grin, bouncing on his feet cutely when Youngho congratulated the couple with excitement equivalent to theirs. Cheers were shouted into the air and from the corner of his eyes, Mingyu could see Jaehyun smiling ever so slightly but clapping nonetheless. His friend seemed to be still a bit pissed about earlier and the younger hoped Wonwoo didn't get in deep shit for that stunt he'd pulled at his boyfriend.

'Since we know the winners of our little game session, it's time for some Netflix and chill!' Youngho yelled, getting equally as loud response in return. The guys cheered, already sprinting towards the spacious couch to reserve the best seats.

'Movies!'

'Food!'

'Oh yeah, speaking of food,' Taeyong cleared his throat, 'I hope the losing team didn't forget about the punishment.' Taeyong's words stopped his tall boyfriend from taking a good seat on the couch which got already occupied as Jaehyun's ass claimed the spot. Sighing, Youngho slouched his shoulders with a pout, beckoning for Chan before strolling away to the kitchen, complaints hanging on his tongue.

'Channie, make sure the food Youngho makes is edible!' The petite red-head shouted at them and the guys laughed.

 

  
Mingyu watched Wonwoo squish himself in the safe of the couch's corner, legs pressed against his chest, eyes darting over at his boyfriend who held eye contact long enough before Mark broke it off by taking a seat next to his game partner. The day wasn't over yet, so the punishment still stood. Mingyu understood. He really did. But if he could survive the movie he so generously let his partner choose, that was an unknown matter. Of all genres, the older had to pick a horror one, quite old in the standards for the young and spoiled generation but Mingyu played a hero by huffing out proudly that it was nothing and agreed with the pick. He could literally feel Jaehyun's snort behind his back as he got comfortable in his seat right between Wonwoo and Mark. His long limbs stretched out, far enough it slipped under the coffee table now full of cans with cola and somewhat edible burgers the red team had prepared for them. Chan really made sure no one got poisoned by Youngho's questionable cooking skills, a praise from Taeyong even got out, making the youngest flush an adorable shade of pink. On another note, Soonyoung was totally shooting hearts from his eyes at his boyfriend from his seat. It was cute. Mingyu giggled to himself, placing a bowl of popcorn on his lap, letting his seatmates take some.

The movie had yet to get into the best part but Mingyu was fucking terrified. It must've shown in his body language enough for someone to notice.

'Mingyu?' A soft whisper.

'Hm?'

'Are you perhaps, uh- scared?' Wonwoo's whispering voice snapped Mingyu's eyes open and biting his lip nervously, he shook his head vigorously.

'N-no? Why would you think that?' He laughed nervously, wincing when a very loud scream and a sound of a chainsaw turning on invaded his earbuds. Fuck. Mingyu hated horror movies.

With a concerning look, Wonwoo took his hand in his, smiling a bit apologetically. 'Because you're kinda trembling.'

The sudden touch startled Mingyu, he almost jumped out of his seat.

'What? I'm not.' It came out a little high in pitch which only convicted the older of his suspicion and he squeezed the much bigger hand in his. Mingyu felt his blood drain out of his face so fast he might've passed out any second. Maybe he already died and went to Heaven.

'Hey, it's okay. Everyone is afraid of something. No need to act like a tough guy. If it helps, you can hold my hand, I won't mind.' Wonwoo gave him that pretty, reassuring smile that made Mingyu smitten all over again and he found himself nodding at the soft words, head hung low in embarrassment. He didn't see the fond look on Wonwoo's face, only looking up when the older was back paying attention to the screen, drawing patterns on the back of Mingyu's hand. Soothing, calming.

God, Mingyu wanted to hug the guy so bad.

Almost two hours of suffering and stuffing popcorn into his mouth, the movie had slowly reached its end. Mingyu was enduring the torture like a big boy, thanks to Wonwoo who helped him calm down, the jumpscares not appearing as scary as before. He was thankful for that. Because of him, Mingyu was able to look at the screen until the end without embarrassing himself. The guys seemed they wouldn't notice if he started screaming anyway, as most of them were sending glances at each other, the separated couples at least but when Youngho screeched out loud like a banshee, it certainly grabbed enough attention to have all eyes on his half-sitting, half-laying position.

'Soonyoung, are you fucking sexting while watching a horror movie? Seriously?'

The blond stopped typing on his phone, turning his head to look at Youngho with a shrug and a huff.  
'You didn't say we're not allowed to,' was a nonchalant reply. Wonwoo laughed so hard, nearly knocking the bowl with popcorn from Mingyu's lap.

'Oh my God.'

The oldest threw an offended look at his blond friend, proceeding to check on Chan who didn't dare to look up, hiding his face in his hands, phone pressed tight against his chest. The guys laughed, too, covering the fake screams from the TV and Mingyu, for once, survived through a horror movie without suffering a heart attack. Wonwoo's thumb didn't stop rubbing circles on the back of his hand, successfully easing the tension in his body. It was soothing. Mingyu almost whined at the loss of contact when the ending credits rolled around at last and Wonwoo was going for a bed. But then he remembered they had to share the said bed, Youngho's to be exact because Mingyu thought it'd be fun to make a mess of the host's room while they were at it. The guy made them suffer enough because of his dumb rules so it was only fair. The senior couldn't refuse, it was the winning team's privilege after all, so albeit hesitantly, he showed them his room suited on the first floor.

'Honestly, I just decided for Youngho's room so that I could fart in his bed.' Mingyu confessed with a devilish grin while trailing behind Wonwoo up the stairs. He watched the older shake his shoulders as he tried to muffle his laugh only to fail at doing so.

A horrified scream was heard from the living room.

'I heard you, nasty!'

'Do it, Mingyu!' Soonyoung's loud voice cheered from the downstairs and that only made Wonwoo laugh harder.

'That's disgusting but why can I see you actually doing it?' Wonwoo threw his head back, nearly tripping backward and falling off the stairs if Mingyu's hands didn't secure their place on his slim waist.

He grinned up at him, fingers dipping into the soft flesh. 'Because it's true.'

And they both laughed.

 

  
While Wonwoo was taking a warm shower, Mingyu busied himself with scanning the room. It was fairly big, with shelves full of things an athlete would put out in his room. Trophies and things related to Youngho's biggest passion; basketball. There were also magazines stacked on his desk, most of them being in another language. Mingyu wouldn't be able to read them all but he could understand some.  
He took a closer look around once more before his eyes settled on the bed, so conveniently suited in the middle of the room. It wasn't a bad bed per se, not too large not too small but the size wasn't Mingyu's concern right now. Just the thought of sharing it with someone he really, really liked, made his head spin and he could already feel himself getting sweaty. Plopping his ass on the bed to test out the mattress, Mingyu buried his face in his hands, exhaling a long sigh when quiet steps reached his ears. He peeked through the gap of his fingers only to go red all over his body. Wonwoo entered his peripheral vision, flushed pink from the warm shower, his bangs falling into his eyes. His lips were moving but Mingyu didn't hear him over the loud thumping of his heart. Wonwoo looked so beautiful, even in a plain shirt and shorts and Mingyu was totally head over heels for him. He really wanted to pull the skinny boy into a hug and never let go.

A sound of Youngho's closet opening made the younger turn over his shoulder, curious. Wonwoo was struggling to pull something out until he got it with a huff, legs wobbling a little as they tried to find their balance. Mingyu watched with his mouth rudely agape the ridiculous thing tucked under Wonwoo's arms.

'What the fuck is that?' He winced when the thing ended up tossed on the bed with a thud.

Wonwoo, who was on all fours adjusting the thing just hummed in response.

'It's a dakimakura. A hugging pillow for anime nerds as you can see,' his finger pointed at the print of some anime boy character Mingyu couldn't recognize. Well, there weren't many he'd watched so you could understand his confusion. Still, it was weird even for Youngho to own something like that. The guy didn't look the type. Mingyu didn't judge but seriously?  
'It's actually Taeyong's. It has his favorite character and it's easier for him to fall asleep when Youngho hyung is away,' Wonwoo explained with a thin smile, adjusting the pillow vertically, right in the middle of the bed. Mingyu raised his brows at the motion, realizing just a tad bit late why the older brought that thing from the pit of Youngho's closet.

'Are you gonna use it like a border between us or something?' Mingyu asked, eyes saddening when he was met with a quick nod. Wonwoo had the pillow positioned right in the middle, the hideous anime guy acting as some sort of a 'do not cross' sign between them.

'I mean, it probably makes you uncomfortable, sharing a bed with another guy so if we set up some boundaries, it-it should be fine, right?' He sounded so nervous all of a sudden, fingers drawing circles on the pillow, his head hung low. Wonwoo was so thoughtful but with the things being the way they were now, Mingyu couldn't help but feel a bit down. He just wanted to hug the guy but the fucking pillow-

'Nah, I'm fine with whatever, I spent too many times in the training camp with guys cramped in a tiny room anyway so it's not really a big deal,' he gave Wonwoo's thigh a reassuring pat, resisting the urge to just slip under the hem of his shorts. The skin burned his pads. In a good way though. 'If sleeping with that thing between us,' he circled a finger around the long pillow with a grimace, 'helps you feel safer, then that's fine, too. It's a very ugly pillow, by the way.'  
Wonwoo let out a chuckle, looking up at Mingyu at last with the prettiest blush marring his cheeks.

'Honestly, I wouldn't feel safe sleeping with this abomination for a pillow, not in the slightest. It's creepy.' He shuddered and then with Mingyu's blessing, pushed the thing off the bed. There was nothing separating them anymore.

Wonwoo then looked out for an extra blanket from Youngho's magic closet, nuzzling the soft material against his cheek with a content sigh. Mingyu tried so hard not to coo at the sight but a little whisper of _'cute'_ left his lips. The room was lit only slightly, the tiny lamp on the nightstand illuminating the walls in a dim, orange light. Mingyu excused himself to take a shower then, a cold one preferably, to cool down the heat of his body.  
When he returned back to the room, Wonwoo was already sitting cross-legged on his side of the bed, the one closer to the slightly opened window, tapping on the screen of his phone before his eyes locked on his partner. The device almost slipped from his fingers as Mingyu, oblivious as hell, smiled at him. Why the older spluttered before swiftly hiding his body under the blanket, Mingyu understood when he got closer to the bed to hear a muffled, _'your clothes, put some clothes on!'_ and looking down, the younger blushed a deep red. Of course, Mingyu was used to sleeping in his underwear and being a guest in a friend's house made no exception. It totally didn't occur to him as a problem but with Wonwoo here, well- it could get very awkward.

Mingyu looked down at his tight boxers he'd brought with him. He didn't want to make the other uncomfortable so he hurriedly walked over to his bag tossed on Youngho's chair, looking for a pair of shorts. Thank God he found some.

Wonwoo, still hiding like the cutest kitten in the world, pulled the blanket up some more, saying something the younger couldn't quite comprehend.  
The mattress arched under the weight of Mingyu's body as he laid on his side, poking the little burrito on the head.

'You can come out, now. It's safe.'

A giggle burst out of him when a very flushed Wonwoo appeared from inside the blanket, only squeaking when a sight of a naked torso got in his face. Mingyu didn't bother with a shirt, even though the night had gotten chilly over the time, he'd rather not be restrained by clothes when sleeping. He laughed as Wonwoo, eyes big and cheeks burning, tried to cocoon himself under the safety of the soft blanket only to get stopped by Mingyu's strong grip on the cover.

'Why you still have no shirt on?' He cried out, squirming away from the younger. 'You told me it's safe!' The pout forming around the corners of his mouth caused a flutter in Mingyu's heart.

'You're so cute,' he laughed at last, amused by the frantic reaction from Wonwoo. Poor guy was trying his best to look anywhere but Mingyu but the latter made it hard with his big body getting in the way of his eyes. 'Seriously, no need to be so shy, we're both guys,' he ruffled Wonwoo's hair, snickering ever so slightly at the adorable sight. 'Besides, you didn't seem to mind back at the pool-'

Wonwoo furrowed his brows, trying to hold eye contact with Mingyu but in the end, his stare lingered down to briefly check upon the younger's toned abs. His cheeks gaining on color was surely gratifying.

'I have a nice body, I know,' he winked at the older boy.

'Ugh. Show-off.' A grunt got past Wonwoo's lips before snitching the blanket back, face instantly burying in the soft material. Goosebumps raising on the skin of his exposed shoulder made him shiver. It didn't go unnoticed by Mingyu's keen eyes and in the midst of Wonwoo's incoherent mumbling about how chilly had gotten over the night, he absently reached out to pull the slender body against his chest. The weak attempts of wiggling away didn't help the older as Mingyu held him in a tight but not suffocating embrace.

'-gyu,' Wonwoo's voice was muffled by the younger's firm chest, pressed against his cheek.

'Shush. You comforted me during the movie so at least let me return the favor. Hm?' He intentionally tightened his hold, securing the much skinnier and trembling body in his arms.

With a huff, Wonwoo finally gave up and nuzzled up, hair tickling the skin on Mingyu's collarbones.

A mere whisper of _'warm'_ caused to paint a bright red onto the younger's cheeks, the heat now increasing at a fast speed not only because of his natural body temperature but from the person in his arms, pressing tightly against him.

A flick of the lamp turning off only left the darkness envelop the room. The subtle light of the moon sneaking through the window was the only source illuminating the laying people on the bed.

'Hey, Wonwoo.' Mingyu whispered into the silence, tugging at the hem of the other's shirt, asking for attention.

There was a shift as Wonwoo lifted his head to look up at him with drowsy yet attentive eyes.

'Hm?'

'I'm better than that dakimakura dude, right?' It came out lower than he intended and it made Wonwoo shiver in his arms.

There was a chuckle, and the older snuggled closer, cheek pressed against the firm chest.

'Makoto.'

'What?'

'Dakimakura dude's name is Makoto,' he giggled, 'and yes, you're definitely better.'

Mingyu's heart did a jump at that.

Smiling, he put a comforting arm around Wonwoo's tiny, _tiny_ waist and drifted off to sleep at last.

 

  
In the middle of the night, a sudden dryness cloaking his throat woke Mingyu from sleep. He needed some water to freshen his throat so carefully as ever, he shimmied away from Wonwoo who looked so damn cute with his peaceful face, lips pursed in a pout. Leaving the bed was now the least thing Mingyu wanted to do but his throat was calling for help.

Careful not to cause any disturbing noise because there were people sleeping on the couch (one of Youngho's luck; poor guy not only made his team lose but drew out the most uncomfortable bed to sleep on), Mingyu tiptoed to the kitchen, looking for a glass blindly to have it filled with water. He chugged the clear liquid down like a thirsty dog, the sensation refreshing for his dry throat.  
Sighing, he put the glass into the sink and quietly as possible, returned back to his room. On the way up the stairs though, he noticed a light peeking through the bathroom door slightly ajar and a pair of voices whispering in a hushed manner. Mingyu didn't mean to eavesdrop but once Wonwoo's name slipped through the door, he stopped walking, curious ears listening on the conversation. By the tone of the voices, Soonyoung and Chan must've sneaked out and rendezvous in the bathroom right in the middle of the night. And Mingyu thought, what was that important to have a conversation under such circumstances. He understood not a second after.

'Soonie, I think I saw Jaehyun kissing a girl in the shop.'

Mingyu froze.

'Are you really sure it was him and not some dude look alike?' Soonyoung didn't sound convicted.

'Yeah. I am. There aren't many guys with blond hair and dimples deeper than the ocean. Also, he was wearing that same leather jacket Wonwoo adores on him. I recognized the brand, it's from his mother. It was designed especially for him.'

What.

Mingyu blinked, processing the words slowly in his head. What the hell is Chan talking about? Jaehyun, kissing someone that wasn't Wonwoo? But his friend looked so fond of his boyfriend, there was no way he'd do something like that to him, right? Jaehyun had changed.

Chan had to misunderstood.

'Do you know how the girl looked like, at least?' Soonyoung asked carefully but Mingyu didn't hear the answer Chan had given him because his legs, trembling, led him back to Youngho's room, where Wonwoo was sleeping peacefully, covered by the blankets.

The vigor Mingyu had hugged the other boy when he slipped into the bed, made the older stir a little and mumble something about _'can't breathe'_ , wiggling in the embrace.

'I'm sorry,' Mingyu whispered and loosened his hold but still kept the skinny body tight against his. The pain in his chest only worsened because what if Chan was telling the truth? What if Jaehyun couldn't resist and cheated?

Minghao's words started to eat at his insides.

_'He'll end up breaking your boy's heart one day.'_

Mingyu peeked down at the boy sleeping in his arms, looking like the epitome of an angel and mindlessly, he kissed the crown of his head, heart thumping painfully from the uncomfortable thoughts evading his mind.

 

  
Morning came sooner than one would expect, Mingyu was up by ten, leaving Wonwoo alone to have some more sleep.  
As he was walking down the stairs, a ruckus broke in the kitchen, Taeyong's voice loud and clear, scolding poor Youngho who seemed to burn something because the smell was awful. Mingyu couldn't help but feel pity for the older, offering his skills to help Taeyong with their breakfast. The red-head thanked him with a relieved smile, ignoring his big boyfriend who looked like a sad puppy.

The rest of the guys then joined them in the living room, Wonwoo being the last one to wake up. He took his place next to Jaehyun, clinging to his arm like a koala while the other fed him ramyun.  
Mingyu was torn. He didn't know how to feel. Part of him was sure that Jaehyun's feelings for Wonwoo were real but the other part kept hanging on the fact that inside, it was still the same Jung Jaehyun who fucked around for fun. Only now pretending to be a sweet and loving boyfriend.

With the pot gone in just an hour, the guys prepared their things to pack. There were no games to play anymore and Youngho looked more than happy to kick the guests out and spend the rest of the day snuggling his boyfriend.

Mingyu really enjoyed the weekend. One of the best if he was being honest. He wouldn't be against doing it again. If that meant he could beat the guys' butts, count him in.  
Adjusting the belt on his bag, he turned around to bid the guys goodbye when a strong grip on his shoulder forced him to stop. Mingyu was met with Jaehyun, his face unreadable but something in his eyes shifted when he asked, _'you didn't do anything weird to Wonu, did you?'_ and Mingyu almost felt offended.

Swatting the hand away, he rolled his eyes, frowning upon the ridiculous accusation.

'What the fuck? You know I'd never do that. I'm not a cheater.' It came out louder than he wanted to.

The strange glint flashing across his friend's eyes sent a pang of uneasy down Mingyu's spine.

 

  
*****

 

Soonyoung may be a little quirky, loud and sometimes even dense but he wasn't blind. He could see the slight discomfort flashing across Jaehyun's face when Mingyu yelled the word cheater, making his shoulders tense up. It was subtle but he still noticed it and it only added to the conversation he'd had with Chan that Saturday night.

It got him thinking.  
  
How convenient for Jaehyun to live so far away from his boyfriend, Soonyoung thought. The guy could be doing things no one and especially Wonwoo wasn't aware of, leaving him in the dark. Jaehyun explained the lack of presence as being busy with school and basketball. Of course, the long distance was one of the factors, too. He could be telling the truth but still, Soonyoung couldn't help but feel a little anxious and wary of the younger's behavior. Especially after the thing Chan had told him the other day.

_'I saw Jaehyun kissing a girl in the shop.'_

Soonyoung had no reason not to trust his boyfriend; after all, Chan was always a good observer and had keen eyes, noticing little things here and there. But he had no physical proof for his accusation, his eyes being the only witness so instead of telling Wonwoo about it, he decided to investigate on his own. The task was hard already, as there was hardly enough free time he got to spend with his boyfriend due to his preparations for the competition but he was convicted he'd make it work, somehow. He needed to take small steps, see for himself if Jaehyun really screwed behind Wonwoo's back.

'Hey, ugly blue, it's time to pack your shit and go. Jaehyun should be here any minute.' A kick in the shin forced a pained howl from Soonyoung, who had been blowing his freshly painted nails. It hadn't dried off yet but Wonwoo was merciless, throwing him out like some annoying bug. They were having their usual meet-up session since Wednesdays were their off days and each week they'd come up with something crazy to do. Honestly though, it was just the two of them (plus the cat) relaxing on the couch eating junk food and putting random face masks purchased from the convenience store. Today they went for something different, Soonyoung thought it'd be a very fun idea to paint their nails so when he showed up at Wonwoo's door this afternoon with the biggest shit-eating grin on his face, tiny bag in hand, the younger was a bit confused. He started laughing though, when Soonyoung poured the contents on the coffee table. There was a long hue of the brightest nail polishes the blond could find in the store and Wonwoo, still giggling a little, grabbed the ugliest pink one before painting the nail on his thumb in a swift movement.

Soonyoung let out a sigh as he helped Wonwoo clean the messy table, packing his things afterward so that the younger could spend a nice evening with his boyfriend. The nagging itch in the back of his mind didn't want to go away and he left the apartment with something to dwell over.

God, Soonyoung hoped everything was a huge misunderstanding.

 

 

The nail polish had yet to dry off but Wonwoo had no time to keep on fanning his hands to get it done faster. His boyfriend was on his way here, looking all handsome and dressed like the models in fashion magazines probably. The time they got to spend together was rare these days, with stress from assignments and all that basketball stuff. So Wonwoo was grateful for every second he could spend with his boyfriend.

Keeping his hands occupied with cleaning the nonexistent dirt on the bathroom sink, Wonwoo almost missed the shirt peeking from the laundry basket. The one he'd borrowed from Mingyu that day and forgot to return it. Despite it being used already, the musky scent of the younger boy still clung to the material and Wonwoo absently brought the shirt to his nose and inhaled the scent. Strangely, it helped him calm down, feeling the warmth embracing his body the way Mingyu's arms embraced him that night. Why did the kid make him feel so warm and protected? He didn't know but at least they weren't awkward around each other anymore. Wonwoo really thought the kiss ruined their friendship but Mingyu seemed fine the other day, joking with him and not avoiding him. He must've already forgotten about it because he didn't bring it out. Wonwoo felt relieved.

_Ding dong._

The sound of the bell echoing through the hallway pulled Wonwoo out of his thoughts and tossing the shirt back into the laundry, he rushed out to answer the door.

'Hey, beautiful.'

Jaehyun was standing there, leaning on the door frame, bouquet of lilies in one hand and a box of Belgian chocolate in the other. He looked tired but wore a smile nonetheless, pursing his lips in anticipation for a kiss. He got pulled inside the apartment with soft lips locked with his own, thin arms snaking around his neck, tight.

'Finally, you're here.'

Wonwoo buried his face in the crook of his boyfriend's neck, inhaling in the strong essence of his cologne but it felt kind of odd- it was mixed with something sweet, he'd noticed, far from anything what Jaehyun usually used.

'You smell different,' he mumbled, confused, voice a bit wary. He didn't notice the slow bob of the blond's Adam's apple as he swallowed thickly. 'Did you use something new?' There was a soft hum that had Wonwoo looking up with a frown, his sharp feline eyes boring into his, reading.

'It's my mom's perfume actually,' Jaehyun gave him a reassuring smile, tightening his grip on Wonwoo's bony hips. 'It must've stuck on my clothes when she almost crushed me to death this morning.'

Wonwoo seemed to relax in his hold at that, eyes softening.

'Her hugs are indeed strong.'

'Yeah, she's imposing in every way.'

They giggled together, Jaehyun brushing Wonwoo's bangs away to plant a kiss on his forehead.

'I wanna leave my scent on you, too,' he whispered against the bare skin as he kissed the spot once more, feeling the body in his arms shudder. 'Will you let me?'

An eager nod was his reply, Wonwoo took a sharp breath with a blush spreading across his cheeks as he was freed from the embrace. His hands found Jaehyun's, intertwining their fingers as he led him to the bedroom.

 

  
Having Wonwoo sprawled naked on the sheets just for him to devour had yet to be the best thing about this relationship. His pale skin was glowing, contrasting so nicely against the starry night sheets, tiny moans leaving the rosy petals as Jaehyun's tongue played with his sensitive parts. Wonwoo was always so responsive to his touch, so pretty begging for release. His legs would tremble when he was close and the cry following after reaching his climax, only made Jaehyun hard and aching against his stomach. The need to turn Wonwoo over and just take him, face pressed into the mattress, ass up, was unbearable. But he never forced his partners into something they weren't prepared for. Wonwoo was no exception, of course. Still, almost three months into the relationship and not getting more physical was frustrating. For Jaehyun, at least. He really liked Wonwoo but every time things were about to get steamy, his boyfriend would push him away with a guilty face and apology on his tongue.

_'I-I'm sorry, I'm not ready for that yet.'_

Jaehyun tried to be patient, he really did but it was never his strong point.

And because of that, he made a huge mistake.

'What are those scratch marks on your arm?' The concerned look dominating Wonwoo's features made his heart pound frantically against his ribcage. Jaehyun glanced down to look at his bruised limb, eyes widening for a split second. He didn't even notice it had been left there.

Slowly, Jaehyun rubbed at the sore spot, looking down in shame. 'It's kinda embarrassing,' he struggled to get the words out.

'You can tell me. I won't laugh, promise.' Wonwoo looked so cute even when laid out on the silky sheets naked underneath him, the soft light from the outside illuminating his beautiful form in an endearing way.

'I met this stray cat near the restaurant I frequent and it looked so hungry I snuck some food from the chef's kitchen just to feed it. It didn't seem to have good experience with humans though because the second I pushed my hand with food towards it, it literally jumped out on me and scratched me,' he pouted to make his story convicting and Wonwoo, sweet naive Wonwoo just giggled cutely and slowly sat up from the position to trace his fingers along the angry red lines. It was so easy to lure him into the web of lies.

_So easy to trick._

'You need to be careful when feeding cats from your hand, strays are especially hard to deal with, they're wary around strangers.' The giggling stopped as Wonwoo turned around to shuffle the drawer open, pulling out a tiny bottle. A soothing cream, how thoughtful. He was always prepared for everything.  
Jaehyun's heart sank a little. It continued to sink even further as Wonwoo, gentle as ever, applied some of the creamy substance onto his left arm, covering the scratches that were definitely not from a cat, lips formed in a pout, concentrated as he whispered, 'please be more careful next time.'

Heart beating fast, Jaehyun nodded, trying his best to ignore the guilt for the gentle treatment he no longer deserved, piercing through his gut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got inspired and wrote another chapter.  
> I don't know when I'll be able to update again so please enjoy this one for a little while.
> 
> Thank you all for your nice comments, too, they keep my heart warm~


	10. Ten.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW for a panic attack, please be aware.

When Wonwoo got a sudden text from Youngho saying he needed to meet up asap, it certainly raised awareness in his body. What possibly could be that important for the older to send something like that? He wondered. Because even from a mere text it sounded serious. Wonwoo feared for a second something might've happened, forcing a strong pang to sit deep in his stomach. One thing he quite didn't understand, was the place his friend wanted to meet up at. Despite the strange and suspicious text, Wonwoo didn't think twice, quickly grabbing for the fluffiest sweater he could find because the weather was a cold bitch that day and being prone to colds, he wasn't really keen on falling sick.

The shopping mall was certainly a weird place to be invited to, especially by someone like Youngho but Wonwoo managed to get there within ten minutes, as it was close from his apartment. That's why he'd walked there instead of taking his car; it definitely saved some gas and Wonwoo wasn't that spoiled to ride his ass everywhere.

The first thing he noticed, upon entering the big hall filled with people, was a tall figure of his friend nervously pacing back and forth near the fountain. What surprised him more was the outfit the older was wearing. Dressed in designer clothes, Wonwoo almost failed to recognize him at all if not for the smile turning on him as Youngho finally spotted him amidst the crowd. Pulling him into a suffocating hug the instant Wonwoo was within his reach, Youngho heaved out a relieved sigh, thanking the younger for coming. Wonwoo noticed his hands were sweaty, and a question hung in the air.

'Okay, hyung,' Wonwoo managed to huff out through shaky breaths, feeling his lungs strong enough after the older loosened his hold around him. 'Why did you call me over? Something happened?'

Youngho lowered his eyes bashfully, rubbing the back of his neck and Wonwoo was confused.

'Well, something _might_ happen if I don't screw up.'

Wonwoo furrowed his brows. Why was the other suddenly talking in puzzles?

'Please enlighten me.'

There was a pause as Youngho fought the hesitation to speak but his lips finally moved in a clear answer.

'I wanna buy a ring. For Taeyong.'

Wonwoo's eyes widened at the statement.

'We've been together for like four years now and I know I wanna spend the rest of my life by his side,' his voice faltered a little as he fumbled with his fingers, anxious. 'Wonwoo, I'm planning on proposing to him but I can't do it without the fucking ring and- and that's why I need your help.' He started pacing in circles, surely getting weird looks from the people passing by as his face got the shade of a smashed tomato. Wonwoo just watched the man freak out with a growing smile on his face.  
'I have like, zero fucking idea what should I buy because he deserves only the best but I also don't wanna buy something he'd find so ugly he'd reject me, you know? I- I couldn't ask the other guys because they can't keep a secret for shit so you're my only hope.' Suddenly, Youngho grabbed both Wonwoo's hands into his, pleading eyes staring into his soul.  
'Please, please, help this poor man out. I'll buy you anything you want in return. Promise.'

Wonwoo couldn't contain his laughter anymore and just let it out, having fun seeing his usually cool-headed friend so desperate for help when he was just an oversized puppy.

The looks from people passing by put a halt to Wonwoo's giggly state, his friend not minding how ridiculous he must've looked to the others and just snaked his long arms around his friend's shoulders, nearly lifting him off the floor when Wonwoo agreed to help through unmanly squeals. Youngho wasn't aware of his strength apparently, realizing too late how tight his hug had been.

_A puppy, indeed._

He let go of a half-dead Wonwoo with a flow of never-ending set of apologies, fearing for a second his friend had changed his mind because he was being too ecstatic.

'I'm fine, I'm fine,' the younger wheezed, rubbing the place on his ribs. 'Just don't jump me like that without a warning first, God. I thought my lungs were about to burst.' He jokingly slapped Youngho on the arm. He could see the relief on the latter's face and without wasting any more time, he linked arms with the older, a smile creeping its way on his lips.

'Let's get you the ring now, yeah?'

Youngho's smile reached his eyes then, head nodding vehemently as they both headed for the nearest jewelry.

 

  
Wonwoo had no idea there were that many jewelries until they'd left the fourth one empty-handed and with Youngho getting more desperate by each passing second. Apparently, no store had that one perfect ring worth of Taeyong's finger, the sparkly accessories being either too bland or too extravagant. Wonwoo honestly thought he'd have to comfort a mopey Seo Youngho if they ended up with nothing. He couldn't bear the sight now and the older had yet to get depressed. He was slowly getting there though.  
Thankfully, there was still one more store they hadn't checked out yet, as Wonwoo's sharp eyes analyzed the map with directions on the panel. Crossing his fingers behind his back, he dragged the senior along with him, trying to cheer him on with light pats on the back.

'I'm so fucking nervous, like this is the only shop left and if I return home with nada I'm screwed. I really wanna buy the thing but never thought it'd be this hard. Fuck.' Youngho confessed the moment they'd entered the last jewelry on the list. The classical music playing softly in the background didn't stop the sweat slicking the older's hand and Wonwoo almost giggled because honestly, seeing the guy like this was so funny.

'I know but think about Taeyong for a bit; you kept the guy waiting four long years for a ring so you gotta man up and pick something now. You have to or you'll feel the wrath of my shoe in your ass.' Threatening, he raised a brow, looking up at Youngho who shuddered a little but nodded nonetheless.

Grabbing his arm, Wonwoo pushed Youngho towards the glassed table full of shiny objects secured inside. The store clerk was giving them a look, making the taller boy more nervous and fidgety. Wonwoo reminded him to not mind the man and just focus on the rings. His grip on the leather tightened. Youngho's brows were furrowed in concentration, lips moving as he mumbled to himself while rubbing his chin.

There were so many options, one pretty ring after another; Wonwoo almost went blind from seeing so many sparkles. This store in particular had a very rich assortment and as his eyes wandered over all the goods, one ring had piqued his interest. By the first look, it was a normal ring, thin in width but after taking a closer look he couldn't help but be drawn in by the pretty diamond shining in the middle. The ring was simple yet beautiful, just like Youngho's love for Taeyong. And at that moment, Wonwoo had decided that yes, this was the one. There was no reason to look out for a better option anymore because they'd already found what they were looking for.

Immediately, Wonwoo's sweater paw tugged at the sleeve of Youngho's jacket. The older turned to him with a confused look but noticing the gleam in his friend's eyes as his lithe finger pointed at one particular spot on the table, he understood.

'This one?' He asked to make sure. The nod of Wonwoo's head was the signal for the store clerk to come over and with a smile, he pulled the ring out of its protective barrier, showing the goods to the customers.

'Oh my God, yes,' Wonwoo breathed out as the shiny ring presented before his eyes. So beautiful. 'He's gonna love it.'

Youngho chuckled nervously, examining the thing more closely, eyes darting over to his friend. 'You think so?'

'Yes. I'm sure. This is the one.'

Glancing over the ring one more time, Youngho nodded, calling for the clerk to announce his purchase.  
Wonwoo watched his friend shuffle to the counter to discuss something about the size, a comfortable warmth filling his insides. He couldn't wait to see the beautiful ring marring Taeyong's finger.

Just when Youngho was about to finish things with the clerk, a familiar voice called out for them. Turning around, Wonwoo saw Mingyu walk in, hand in hand with his girlfriend, her heels clicking annoyingly loud against the tiled floor as the couple got close to them. As usual, the girl seemed to ignore Wonwoo but he could see her sending sneaky glares his way. Why she seemed to be so appalled by him, that was a huge mystery to him but as a person of good manners, he greeted his friend as well as the girl next to him.

Mingyu had that stupidly nice smile plastered on his face when he raised his hand, eyes locking with Wonwoo's for longer than necessary. It was a bit weird, the excitement in his voice when he greeted him and then Youngho. His canines peeking out were cute though and Wonwoo found himself smiling, too. Even though the aura surrounding Dahyun was anything but warm. She had a firm grip on Mingyu's arm now, clinging to him like a leech while glaring up at him.

_Like he was an enemy._

The fake smile she put on the moment it was her turn to greet the guys was unsetting. Her dislike towards Wonwoo couldn't have been more obvious. But her boyfriend seemed not to notice, immediately leaving Dahyun's side to stroll over to Youngho, wiggling his eyebrows as he asked what brought him there.

And just like that, Wonwoo was left alone with two guys talking about something related to basketball, judging from the excited tone in Youngho's voice and a girl that clearly didn't like him. So as quietly as possible, he turned back to busy himself ogling at the beautiful jewels locked securely inside the glassed barrier until his friend was done talking and purchasing.

Wonwoo spent a good three minutes admiring the craftwork of the earrings with sparkly eyes. He couldn't help but gawk at the beautiful sight.

'They're so pretty and bright.'

Dahyun, who managed to sneak beside him in the meantime turned to him with the sweetest smile on her lips then, scooting closer until she could whisper for only him to hear.

'Just like the grades you worked so hard for back in high school?'

Wonwoo's blood ran cold.

'P-pardon?' He looked down at the girl, uncomfortable knot settling deep in his stomach at the obvious fake giggle muffled by the hand with long nails.

'Oh, honey, don't act like you don't know. A little birdie told me you used to do certain things for grades, back then at your high school- you know, that first one before you transferred to a public one,' she whispered, pretending to look after the pretty diamonds put on display. None of the guys noticed the shake of Wonwoo's shoulders and the heavy raise of his chest as breathing had become a very hard task to maintain.

_There was no way she knew-_

Dahyun watched closely the other's reaction, a twisted feel of satisfaction filling in her body, making her giddy inside. She giggled behind her hand again before subtly shifting closer to the tall boy, lips curled in a wicked grin.

'Say, Wonwoo. Do you still spread your legs for good grades? Isn't it the reason you got accepted into one of the prestigious schools anyway?' Her sweet voice was brimming with venom, tearing open the old emotional scars Wonwoo had to bear for five whole years and thought were healed for good. But every word leaving the girl's mouth brought the memories back on the surface, images of that low, whispery voice singing filth into his ear as those wandering hands kept ghosting over his trembling body-

_'You're so pretty when you cry.'_

Wonwoo shook his head, nails digging into his palms as his hands curled up into balls. 'N-no, that's not- that's not what happened,' the words came out through shaky breaths as Wonwoo fought the air filling in his lungs, 'I didn't... I'd never-' He couldn't finish the sentence, not when he felt like something was choking him from the inside. Dahyun just mockingly sighed, an ugly smirk twisting her pretty face.

'You act like an innocent lamb, don't you? You might've fooled your friends but not me, Wonwoo. I know what you did back in high school with _that man_ ,' she leaned in more closely, poison dripping like honey from her voice. 'Seducing teachers to get what you want- Aren't you just a greedy little whore, hm?'

Wonwoo was on the verge of crying now, his stomach churning from the uncomfortable words Dahyun had voiced so cruelly. His glasses were foggy from the erratic breaths getting past his lips, heart beating loud against his chest as the disturbing images from the past came back haunting his mind. He felt his hands tremble, cold and sweaty, the tight grip he had on the glassed table slipping as his balance wavered. Wonwoo felt like throwing up, tears blurring his vision.

How did Dahyun find out? It was supposed to stay secret between him and his therapist. No one else knew. _Not even his parents._

The suffocating feeling in his lungs intensified.

Wonwoo needed to get out.

Embracing his torso in a defensive manner, he stumbled back a little, accidentally bumping into Mingyu who happened to stable his posture by grabbing his shoulders but that only worsened the anxiety spreading through Wonwoo's body. He tensed up and Mingyu must've noticed that because the hands were gone in an instant with a soft apology to go with. Wonwoo didn't react to that though, just looked frantically for a way to get out from the suffocating feeling.

Youngho was about to finish paying for the ring when Wonwoo's weak voice whispered he needed to the restroom because he suddenly felt sick but the tears wetting his reddened cheeks and the heavy raise of his chest didn't look convicting in the slightest. He knew what a panic attack looked like, especially in Wonwoo's case and the boy was having one right now.

He cursed under his breath.

'Fuck.'

Youngho tried to stop the younger from going out on his own, he needed to calm him but the kid managed to slip away and run off. Eyes darting nervously around, Youngho waited for the transaction to complete, only sighing in relief when the shop assistant _finally_ handed him the prettily wrapped box with a smile at last. He thanked the man, hastily putting his purchase into the pocket of his jacket before turning to Mingyu with a worried expression on his face.

'Sorry, gotta go. I- I can't let Wonu suffer on his own.'

Mingyu looked confused by his words but his girlfriend, God, that ugly little bitch, smirked as if seeing other people's pain brought her satisfaction.

Was that all her doing?

Youngho might've had a word with the snake if he didn't have to take care of his friend and make sure he didn't hurt himself.

With a pounding heart beating frantically against his ribcage, Youngho sprinted off to the only place he knew was safe enough for the younger to hide.

His intuition had proved to be right.

He found Wonwoo in one of the stalls in the restroom on the second floor. The room was quiet except for the heavy noise coming from the farthest stall. Youngho didn't need to check twice to know he found the right place; from the constant sobbing filling the place and no one flushing toilets, Wonwoo was the only one in there, crying his eyes out and in need of comfort.  
Walking over to the source of the desperate wails, he heaved a long breath, pushing the door open only to have his heart shattered into pieces at the state his friend was in. Wonwoo was crying softly into his hands as he sat on the toilet, legs trembling like those of a scared child. His cute fluffy sweater was absorbing the stray tears rolling down the reddened cheeks like a sponge and Youngho noticed his glasses laying on the floor right beside his foot. The younger was in a horrible state, must've thrown up just a while ago, too, the acid stench of vomit hanging still in the air. The smell didn't bother Youngho but the mess his friend had been reduced to in just a matter of a few minutes did.

He crouched down, pulling Wonwoo towards him to embrace his fragile, trembling body the best he could. Tight and secure, whispering softly in his hair words of comfort while drawing circles on his back.

'Ssh, it's okay, it's okay. I'm here now.' He shifted closer, ignoring the pain his knees felt from the awkward position and just held the body close to him. Wonwoo's cries reduced only slightly but it was still an improvement, his skinny fingers desperately looking for purchase on the leather of Youngho's jacket. His head, buried in the slope of the older's shoulder, shook a little, giving a sign of content. He wouldn't stop trembling even after being swayed back and forth in a comforting manner so Youngho decided to speak up.

'Wonu, what happened back in the shop? Did-,' he was almost hesitant to ask, wincing as the fist probing at his jacket tightened, 'did that chick say something to you?'

Wonwoo visibly stiffened at that and Youngho knew it was a bad idea to even ask him but the damage had been already done. Of course it had to be that witch's doing; his friend was perfectly fine before he left him with that girl alone for a while. What exactly did she say to him, might probably stay a huge mystery as Wonwoo only nodded slightly in reply to his question but didn't explain. Judging by the horrible state his friend was in, it had to be some mad shit. Youngho couldn't quite put a finger on it but it might've been something related to his past. He was aware of the triggering memories his friend had been carrying from high school but his knowledge on the matter was very brief, to say the least. No one knew the exact reason for Wonwoo's panic attacks, just that it was related to school. That girl though, Youngho cursed her name in his mind, must've found out something to trigger the younger's anxiety and use it against him. Either way, she was a toxic person. No way he'd let her near Wonwoo again. The bitch was blacklisted.

Youngho bit his lip, trying to contain his anger. Seriously, what was that chick's deal?

Mindlessly, he kept rubbing circles on Wonwoo's back in a soothing manner.

'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry,' the younger sobbed into his shoulder, shivering in his arms like a scared child. Youngho's heart clenched painfully at how fragile Wonwoo sounded. 'It didn't happen like this, I swear.' A cry. 'Please don't leave me,' he sniffled back a sob, clutching desperately on Youngho's back, holding onto him for dear life.

'I won't go anywhere. I promise.' With reassuring words reaching his ears, Wonwoo visibly relaxed in the embrace, his breathing not as erratic as before but the anxiety was still there. God, he looked so small, so helpless.  
'Wonwoo, look at me.' The older prompted in a soft voice, big hands flying up to cup the puffy cheeks the instant Wonwoo obeyed and lifted his head. 'Now take deep breaths, slowly, can you do that for me?' He continued, helping with counting while checking for the blankness in the other's eyes to fade as he took deep breaths together with Youngho.

'That's it. Yeah, good boy. You're doing good. So good.''

They made it through after a few more calming breaths, the tears had finally stopped rolling down Wonwoo's cheeks and his body seemed to slowly get rid of the excessive shivering. As Youngho placed an open palm on the younger's chest to check on his heartbeat, he felt relieved at the steady thumping vibrating through his fingers. Wonwoo had managed to calm down completely.

'Thank you.'

His friend's voice was so small when he whispered the words, cheeks red and wet from all the tears. Youngho just brushed it off with a tiny smile, glad that they managed to get through it and slightly ruffled the silky hair. Wonwoo's eyes closed for a moment, his breathing slow and steady before shifting in his position.

With a grimace because damn, his knees hurt like a bitch, Youngho stood up, taking Wonwoo by his hand to pull him up, too. The younger didn't resist because the breakdown tired him out, letting his friend wipe the remaining tears dry before putting his glasses back on.

Youngho held the door open for him. 'Is it okay if I take you home, now? I promise I'll drive carefully, no crazy steer wheeling.'

Wonwoo chuckled lightly at the attempt to lighten the mood and nodded, walking over to the sink to wash his swollen face. Funny how mere words managed to reduce him into this mess.

Did Dahyun hate him so much she had to dig up his past? Did she feel threatened because she felt like Wonwoo wanted to steal her boyfriend or she found it amusing ruining people's lives and did it just for fun? Wonwoo didn't know, only that the girl was a really cruel person and he didn't want to do anything with her anymore.

Fixing his bangs, he turned to face his tall friend. The heavy feeling in his chest was gone for now and he managed to utter a cheeky grin, albeit for a brief moment.

'Do I still get my reward for helping you out?'

Youngho raised a brow at the question when the words finally sank in and a smile curled up at the corners of his lips. He scooped the younger in his arms, relieved and huffed out a laugh.

'Of course. I'll get you whatever you want.' This put a smile on Wonwoo's lips and Youngho beamed.

They left the mall with Wonwoo unconsciously holding onto the sleeve of Youngho's jacket.

On the way back, as promised, Wonwoo received a mini cake made of his favorite Oreo-flavored ice cream without his hyung nagging that it was too cold for something like that, enjoying the cold yet sweet treat on his tongue. It helped to get him back to his senses so Youngho didn't dare to complain.

His friend made it his mission to walk him right into the safety of his apartment then, deciding on staying there keeping him company at least until he got fed up with his annoying character. Wonwoo appreciated the gesture and let the older take care of him with a fond smile while trying to bury the dark thoughts back into the farthest corner in his mind.

'Think of me as your therapy dog,' his friend said whilst grinning, pushing his big body next to Wonwoo's, ready for a cuddle. 'I can even drool all over your clothes to make it more realistic.' He added with a wink.

Wonwoo burst out laughing at that, shaking his head with a grimace. 'Please don't, that's disgusting. Just cuddling is fine,' he giggled through talking, relaxing in Youngho's warm hug. He heard his friend snort a laugh himself before squeezing him tight in his arms. He was swayed back and forth surrounded by the warmth of another man's body acting like a comforting blanket.

Not long after that, Wonwoo managed to fall asleep with a mental note to call his therapist later.

 

  
*****

 

Two sessions with Dr. Bae helped Wonwoo get back on track and he felt like he could breathe again. As their workload at school got heavier by each passing day, his friends had really no time to notice the slight shift in Wonwoo's behavior; they barely hung out now as everyone got busy with their assignments, returning to school more tired than the day before. Only Youngho who felt responsible like he was the one at fault for bringing Wonwoo into a slump kept checking on the younger every once in a while without raising suspicions in his boyfriend. Wonwoo honestly appreciated Youngho's caring side.  
After coming back from the second session with Dr. Bae, he even sent the older a text pestering if he finally grew some balls and proposed, nearly falling off the couch laughing when Youngho replied with a sweaty emoji that _no, won im still tryna come up with the most romantic speech to go with the ring so leave the man alone to think pls_. For real though, the guy was a dork for the most time but sometimes even he could be cute, huh. Wonwoo really hoped things would progress between the couple soon though.

He sighed.

The end of October was right around the corner, the weather turning from warm to cold in a matter of days and Wonwoo's mind was usually having a dark fest at this time. All the bad thoughts coming to eat him from the inside. Remembering the fiasco back at the mall was only adding fuel to the fire, and Wonwoo had to remind himself yet again, the words of advice of his therapist.

Dr. Bae suggested focussing on himself and the good things around him.

The annual Halloween party at Jaehyun's team captain's house seemed like a good thing. It was mostly for the basketball team and their close circle of friends but Wonwoo had been automatically given an invite because he held the status of their point guard's boyfriend. He couldn't refuse even if he wanted because the moment Baekho sent out mails with invitations to people, Jaehyun's mom was quick like a wind, offering to make couple costumes for them. Since she was a fashion designer, making the costumes was really no big deal for her and with a little help from Mrs. Jeon who got tangled up in this mess by accident, she was able to get it all ready the day before the actual party. Wonwoo, and Jaehyun as well, was kept in the dark for the time being, mindlessly wondering about the costumes the ladies had been working so relentlessly on. Mrs. Jung had a very unique sense of fashion so Wonwoo didn't quite know what to expect. Hopefully nothing too extravagant.

Seunghyun's grin was suspicious when he showed up at his doorstep at five in the afternoon with a couple of boxes keeping his arms busy. Wonwoo raised a brow at the weird expression lacing the bodyguard's usually stern face and took the boxes with hesitant hands. The man refused Wonwoo's invitation inside, saying that he had some errands to make, leaving a frowning yet still clueless Wonwoo in the hall.

The boxes were heavy, Wonwoo almost dropped one if not for his somewhat good reflexes. He walked over to the living room, carefully putting the boxes on the couch next to Soonyoung who happened to be there as an uninvited guest. To his question what was inside Wonwoo replied with a _'probably my Halloween costume'_ , wincing only slightly as the smile on Soonyoung's lips widened it almost looked like it'd tear his jaw open.

'Oh! Do you know what kinda costume it is? I know it was supposed to be a secret but do you have any idea at all?' He asked, curious eyes peeking at the white boxes stacked so neatly in a pile.  
Wonwoo shook his head. He honestly didn't know. Mrs. Jung had told him beforehand it'd be something that'd suit him and would really like so he hoped the boxes were hiding one of his favorite book characters' outfit.

'Well, it certainly came at the right time! The party's today at what? Seven? So you better fish out whatever outfit Jae's mom made for you from those boxes and I don't know, get ready, maybe?' Soonyoung looked up at him with sparkly eyes. The guy himself appeared to be excited about the costume more than his best friend who still had yet to find out what kind of costume it was exactly.

Rolling his eyes, the younger somehow managed to stack the boxes back into his arms, huffing only slightly at the heaviness. Soonyoung kept grinning up at him, hands cupping his cheeks as he eyed the boxes.

'Okay, then. Just gimme a second.'

Wonwoo then walked in slow steps to the bedroom to get changed.

Nearly fifteen minutes in and Soonyoung's patience had worn thin. It was awfully quiet and his friend had yet to show up. Whatever Wonwoo's outfit had been, the guy sure was taking his sweet time. The creaking sound of the door to the bedroom opening reached Soonyoung when he was about to die on the couch from boredom. Lazily, he shifted in his dying position to raise his head, only to choke on his spit from the surprise currently walking over to the couch.

'I don't know what Jaehyun's mom was thinking when making the costume.'

The person appearing in the living room almost made Soonyoung's eyes pop out of their sockets.

'Oh my fucking God. Wonwoo. What. The fuck.' He watched in astonishment, mouth agape as Wonwoo came in wearing a dress and a wig. His eyes lingered down the frilly skirt and wait- was he wearing fucking stockings, too? He couldn't tell for sure but they looked silky to touch.

Damn Mrs. Jung. She went off.

The younger curled the dark, fake hair between his fingers, blushing a deep red. 'I think I'm supposed to be Alice,' the redness went up to his ears now, 'the note in the box said so, anyway.' His other hand clutched the hand mirror and something vaguely reminding a lip gloss in a tight grip.

_Holy shit._

Soonyoung was still processing the sight. He was prepared for anything but this seriously was something else. Phone. He needed his phone to take as many pics as possible. This didn't happen often. He had to make the best of it. Frantically palming his back pocket, he took out his phone, swift fingers switching to the camera mode before it was too late and his best friend fleed off.

'This is so gonna go on my Insta!' A blinding light invaded Wonwoo's fragile eyes as Soonyoung fumbled with his phone, taking pictures with a huge grin. 'Remind me to thank Mrs. Jung later, 'cause that costume is fucking gold!'

Wonwoo scowled with a middle finger pointing at the camera. Soonyoung took the photos anyway, chuckling to himself as he edited his masterpiece before posting it on his Instagram with an embarrassing caption to go with probably.

'I hope you choke in your sleep,' the younger mumbled under his breath, adjusting the frilly skirt. It barely reached his knees, clad in the pure white stockings Mrs. Jung had given him as a gift. Wonwoo was pretty damn sure Alice didn't wear stockings under her dress but he had to remind himself this was Halloween and Mrs. Jung's Alice was the dark version and maybe an adult one, too. There were patches of fake blood staining the front of the dress to make it more suitable for the occasion and Wonwoo kind of liked the design so he wasn't really complaining. Except for the stockings, maybe, which were probably not a gift intended for him but rather for Jaehyun as if Mrs. Jung expected for certain things to happen later. Wonwoo didn't really know anymore. And speaking of Jaehyun, he should be here any minute. The time was showing 6:30 pm now.

As if on cue, the melodic ring reached the living room and before Wonwoo could even react, Soonyoung was quick to answer the door. A loud scream of _'oh my god! It's a couple outfit!'_ made the younger wince on his spot. Putting on a lip gloss (which also came in the package; that was his mom's doing as he recognized her handwriting on one of the notes) in a hurry, he put the hand mirror on the table, hands sweating from the sudden anxiety. Wonwoo tried to quickly find some composure but it all crumbled down when his best friend entered the room with the most satisfied grin and a dressed up Jung Jaehyun in tow.

'Fuck,' was the first thing that left his boyfriend's mouth, conveniently dressed as the Hatter, Wonwoo assumed. His suit, kind of quirky in color was perfectly hugging his athletic body, the hems of his dressing pants were torn like someone had bitten them off. Just like on Alice's dress, some of the blood painted the Hatter's suit, too. The tall hat decorated with black and red roses was put down as Jaehyun, having found his composure at last, bowed in a polite arch, lips turning into a grin when he straightened his back. 'I knew something was off when mom dropped by my place to personally deliver the costume. Didn't expect to turn myself into the Hatter guy but yours fucking takes the cake,' he checked Wonwoo out with a whistle. 'You look fucking fantastic.' He walked over to the older boy, hand immediately snaking down his side to cup his ass. 'And I hope you're not wearing boxers under that dress.' A whisper in his ear.

The crimson heating Wonwoo's cheeks made the other grin in satisfaction. Soonyoung cocked an eyebrow, spectating the couple from a decent distance. He really couldn't see anything wrong with Jaehyun's behavior, maybe just that the guy seemed a bit more keen on getting into Wonwoo's pants- uh, dress.

He chuckled.

Feeling the fingers dug into the flesh through the skirt, Wonwoo bit his lip to prevent a squeak getting out. By the looks of it, his boyfriend seemed to enjoy his costume more than he imagined, judging how touchy he'd become the instant his eyes took in the visual before him. Dealing with a horny boyfriend was the last thing Wonwoo wanted. They had a party to attend but they might not make it, not with the way Jaehyun's hand kept squeezing his rear.

'Oh God, you guys. Go get going before you damage my poor eyesight with your make-out session.' Soonyoung jokingly said, making hand gestures for his friend to just go. Thankfully, a nudge from the older finally made the blond regain composure at last, his hand now withdrawing back to rest against his side. His eyes were still roaming over Wonwoo's exposed skin before they settled on his legs.

'Sorry. I got carried away,' Jaehyun rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish smile on his face. 'Soonyoung is right, though. We should get going. And go grab some spare clothes, too. We're probably staying over the night there.'

Wonwoo furrowed his brows at that but went to his room, quickly coming back with one of his oversized hoodies and shorts tucked under his arm.

Soonyoung's smile faltered only slightly when the couple turned to leave. He watched his best friend blow a kiss at Ra, who looked up at his owner with a meow, going back into position on the tree.

'Please take care of him, yeah? And no more take-outs, it's not healthy. You can eat the pasta from the fridge instead.'

Soonyoung nodded.

'I'll be lonely here though. Can I invite Chan over?' He pleaded with the cutest pout.

Wonwoo sighed. He was too weak for the pout.

'Only if you promise you won't do anything nasty in front of my son,' he gestured to his cat who lazed on his tree. 'And clean up after your mess. I don't wanna bleach my eyes again after that one time-'

'Okay, okay, I promise!' Soonyoung reassured him calmly but his ears heated up at the embarrassing memory. 'We'll behave.'

Wonwoo was still a bit suspicious but he had no time to lecture his friend as Jaehyun impatiently whispered to him they needed to get going. So he just silently made a quick prayer for his cat and apartment before bidding his friend a curt goodbye, leaving with Jaehyun's hand clutched tightly in his.

 

  
*****

 

Unhappy.

That was the only word describing how Mingyu had felt in the relationship for the past two months. Maybe exhausted would fit, too. Being together with Dahyun for that long, he started to notice more and more the gap widening between them. They both seemed to have different ideals about relationships and it was showing. Mingyu felt like he was just a toy the girl liked to play with, letting him know subtly that she only wanted him for his body and it hurt. Sex wasn't really the only thing he looked for in relationships. Appeared it was the opposite for Dahyun. Mingyu just scolded himself he hadn't noticed sooner. That he was just a trophy, an accessory for the girl to show off.

Aside from the lack of communication between them, there was also another important factor that added to the dysfunctionality of the relationship.  
Mingyu had reached the point where he couldn't get aroused enough by looking at a woman's body because all his head was filled with was Wonwoo, Wonwoo, _Wonwoo_. He'd gotten so deep that every time things were about to get hot between him and Dahyun, his mind slipped into the weird fantasy indulged world where he pictured it was Wonwoo on his bed spreading himself open and not his girlfriend. That way he was able to get on with it and actually finish himself off with the obscene images swirling through his mind. It was because of that the position had usually ended up with the girl on her fours; as it was easier to pretend the body under him was Wonwoo. He'd finish with an internal cry of the cute guy's name, wishing he was able to say it out loud.

With the arousing problems hanging in the air, there was no way to save the relationship anymore. He'd tried hard to make it work but it wasn't enough.

So Mingyu made up his mind. He'd break up with Dahyun because he couldn't take it anymore.

The sooner, the better.

 

  
Glancing over at the kitten clock on his nightstand, showing a bright 6:45 pm, Mingyu hastily reached out for the white lab coat he borrowed from his uncle to complete his Halloween costume. It was that time of the month where Baekho invited the entire basketball team (and their friends) to his big house to party. Like every year. It had become a tradition at this point. Mingyu remembered the first time he'd been invited to such event as a Freshman; the loud music, the drinks of all sorts and of course, the girls he'd ended up making out with. He also remembered the costume he'd worn that night; a werewolf one. He looked kind of silly in the fur vest and wolf ears but judging by the number of girls he got fawning over him proved he'd be fine even wearing the ugly clown outfit that had been his first choice.  
Now though, as he got himself a (soon to be ex) girlfriend who liked to control his life, Mingyu had no choice than to dress up as a doctor because Dahyun was very original, coming up with such a brilliant idea to go to the party dressed as a sexy nurse with her sexy doctor. So yeah, Mingyu, too kind (scared) to oppose the girl, just silently nodded back then, visiting his uncle in the hospital to ask for a couple of things to make the costume at least a bit more interesting.

Taking one last look at his reflection in the mirror, Mingyu hummed and grabbed the car keys before exiting the room. Baekho's house wasn't that far away but having seen Dahyun already, in the tightest and shortest latex dress that you could see in most of those cheap, stereotypical porn movies, he figured she wouldn't want to walk all the way in those high heels, making her taller by a huge ten centimeters difference. Mingyu felt bad for her feet.

Dahyun kept clinging to his arm until they'd reached the front door of Baekho's house. The party had yet to get started but the loud music coming from the inside was indicating anything but.  
The host greeted the couple with a wide smile and two red cups of something that vaguely smelled like vodka; quite an odd choice of a drink to have first but Mingyu gladly took one, chugging the clear liquid down. Dahyun followed after him, giggling as some guys passing by them commented on her costume. The compliments were borderline lewd but Mingyu merely brushed them all off, enjoying the feeling of alcohol filling in his system.

'I see you guys went for the couple outfit, too.' Hansol's cheery voice was heard as he made his way towards them, a red cup of his own in one hand and a boy clinging onto his left side. Mingyu squinted his eyes a little, scanning the stranger beside his friend. Then he noticed where Hansol's hand was placed and it clicked. The boy who was dressed in a pirate outfit and was giving him a sassy look, introduced himself as Seungkwan, _Hansollie's hot as fuck boyfriend_ \- his exact words. This made Mingyu chuckle a little.

Letting go of Dahyun's hand so he could high-five Hansol for their usual greeting, Mingyu nodded. 'I don't think we'd get first place in the contest if there's one but I'd say we're looking pretty good tonight. Right, babe?' His eyes briefly lingered on Dahyun who just hummed, adjusting the hem of her tight dress, suggestively wiggling her ass, attracting all kind of attention from other guys. Seungkwan snorted into his drink filled with coke as he didn't plan on getting drunk that night as he'd casually informed. Dahyun didn't look that interested in making conversation with either Hansol or his boyfriend; instead kept looking around in search of her friends who got invited, too.

People started coming in masses through the front door, all dressed up for the occasion. At one point almost everyone from his team was present, except for two. Mingyu realized Jaehyun and Jeongguk hadn't shown up yet. Which was weird; the blond had always been the one to show up early and leave late at such parties. He understood Jeongguk's lack of presence here; the kid had always been a lone wolf and not one to party so it wasn't that surprising he hadn't come. Jaehyun on the other hand though-

'Guy must be taking his sweet time, making us wait like that.' Baekho pouted next to him, sipping on his coke.

'He must be too busy making out with his boyfriend,' someone said with a snicker. 'I know I would if I dated someone like him.' The wiggle of his teammate's eyebrows made Mingyu mildly uncomfortable. 'I've seen some pics. Dude has a face _and_ the body, I tell you. Too bad he sports a dick between his legs because if he were a chick, I'd bang him in a heartbeat.'

There was this itch to reach out and strangle the guy but Mingyu gritted his teeth, listening in on his friends' banter in silence.

'I really fucking hope Jae brings him here. He said he would, so he better be not lying.' Another one spoke up.

The comments he kept hearing were honestly getting on Mingyu's nerves. Talking about someone's boyfriend like that was making him uncomfortable, more so when said boyfriend was also the guy he liked.

Adjusting the stethoscope around his neck, he walked over to the kitchen, looking for a refill. He planned on getting wasted tonight and maybe a quick fuck if he got in the mood. He offered Dahyun a drink as well, the girl gladly taking the cup with her as they went back to the little circle of his friends. Baekho had rushed to the door shortly after the doorbell rang, inviting another guests in. Probably just another friends of his friends.  
Mingyu returned back to sipping on his drink, eyes mindlessly roaming around the spacious living room they were currently situated in. It was slowly getting packed in here; people laughing and chatting, some dancing to the songs Baekho had set up. He wasn't sure how long he'd been standing there watching others have fun until a hearty laugh invaded his earbuds.

'Damn, I thought you came here with a chick, Jae! You had me scared there for a second, dude!'

Frantically, Mingyu turned around to look for the source of the voice only to gulp at his captain walking up to them, with two newcomers in tow. His breath caught somewhere in his throat as he took in the sight presented before him; Jaehyun dressed like some hilarious elderly gentleman from old movies, holding hands with the prettiest, gory version of Alice he'd ever seen, who kept bashfully looking at the ground. If Mingyu hadn't known the person clinging to Jaehyun was a man, he'd be easily fooled his friend had brought a girl.

'Wonwoo hyung! Gosh, I almost didn't recognize you!' Seungkwan's loud voice shouted through the music playing in the background, immediately leaving Hansol's side to pull the other into a quick hug. The skirt danced as Wonwoo smiled, hugging the younger back, hiding the blush in his shoulder as the guys around complimented his and Jaehyun's outfit.

The visual caught Mingyu completely off guard; he hadn't expected anything like this coming from Wonwoo, of all people.

Holy shit, he looked so damn beautiful in a dress. Mingyu almost forgot he was here with his girlfriend, too mesmerized by Alice-Wonwoo's outfit. The colors matched well with the Halloween atmosphere; from the crimson splotches on his dress to the dark, long wig with Alice's usual headband to complete the look. And as Mingyu glanced down, he could clearly see the silken pair of stockings hugging those skinny long legs nicely. His fingers were itching to slip under the frilly skirt and feel the softness under his fingertips.

_I bet he's wearing panties underneath, too._

To suppress a groan from the thought, Mingyu bit his lip as he balled a fist that wasn't occupied. The cup in his other hand was brought up to his lips, drinking the clear liquid down his throat.

This party was going to be a really, really long one.

Wonwoo was all shy smiles when he greeted Mingyu in a soft voice but then he noticed Dahyun by his side and he took a step back, unconsciously clinging to Jaehyun's arm, lips locked in a thin line.  
Something about the girl must've made him uncomfortable, Mingyu raised a brow like a confused puppy but the guys having mistaken it as an act of shyness just shouted loudly how cute Jae's boy was being. Only Seungkwan seemed to sense something wasn't right with his hyung's strange behavior, squinting his eyes to throw a bitchy look at Dahyun who was eyeing the older boy with disdain painted all over her dolled up face. She smirked lowly, showing subtle signs of dominance towards the other boy.

The tension was becoming thicker by the second; Jaehyun, who was laughing alongside his friends at some funny joke, noticed the weight on his arm as his pretty boyfriend clung to him. Wonwoo was chewing on his bottom lip, eyes casted down and a vice-like grip on his partner's bicep. He felt uncomfortable from the stare Dahyun kept on him, watching his every move closely to intensify the feeling of anxiety of seeing her again. No one noticed the tension between them, except for Seungkwan of course.

Dahyun's eyes flickered between Wonwoo and his boyfriend who kept touching him in a very intimate manner for everyone to see, the girl especially. She was genuinely taken aback by the fact Jaehyun was the said boyfriend but what irked her even more, was the sudden spurt of attention directed towards the couple; everyone complimenting Wonwoo, some shaking their heads in disbelief that _Jae managed to score such a date_ and generally being smitten with the guy. If only they all knew what kind of person the guy really was, they would think twice before showering him with compliments and such.

The adoring look appearing in Mingyu's eyes every time Wonwoo was around was disgusting, too. Unconsciously, she gripped her boyfriend's forearm tight, nails digging into the flesh through the cotton fabric. She ignored Mingyu's brow raised in question, too busy throwing daggers at Wonwoo who kept avoiding her gaze.

'Anyone up for a drink? I've stocked up the bar so go wild.' Baekho grinned with teeth showing on full display, breaking the tension momentarily. The glint in Jaehyun's eyes at the mention of alcohol forced a snort from Mingyu.

'You should go have some fun, too,' Wonwoo prompted the blond who had been torn between getting drunk with his friends and keeping his boyfriend company. It was a tough decision.

'You sure you can handle by yourself?' Jaehyun asked rather softly, rubbing at the thin arm. He got a nod in response, Wonwoo unlatching from his side to give him space, subtly clinging back to Seungkwan.

'I'll take care of him for you,' the younger promised and that seemed to persuade Jaehyun as he quickly nodded, kissing the older boy on the lips before taking his leave with the other guys. They cheered aloud, disappearing into the crowd.

Turning to Wonwoo, who just smiled softly at his boyfriend happily wandering away with his teammates, Mingyu was about to ask something when Seungkwan grabbed for Wonwoo's wrist and dragged him somewhere with a curt excuse. Mingyu heard Dahyun click her tongue before she left his side to find her friends. As usual, the tall boy was left to have fun by himself.

 

  
Later that night, with shots of something spicy swirling through his veins, Mingyu was leaning against the wall with yet another drink he'd lost count of, vision turning a bit blurry due to the alcohol but his mind free and loosened up. His eyes kept searching for the pretty boy in the frilly dress as if transfixed by the beauty of its owner. The party was in full swing, people laughing loudly, dancing wildly all around the space in the living room, bodies grinding on each other. Dahyun was nowhere to be found, at least not in the room so Mingyu guessed she'd probably went gossiping with her friends or maybe got squished by those horny guys in the crowd on the dancefloor. He didn't know and didn't care. Let her have some fun so he could do, too. Meaning, subtly watching Wonwoo doing- nothing, as it seemed. The guy was in his peripheral vision, quite clinging to Seungkwan's side and talking about something that got the blond roaring in laughter. They both had drinks in hand, doubting if any of it was filled with alcohol; guess not everyone wanted to get shit-faced.

Since Jaehyun had wandered off somewhere with the guys, he left his boyfriend alone with Seungkwan keeping him company. Some dudes were brave enough to approach the older, probably trying to flirt with him. Seungkwan was effectively scaring them off with a pointed look and snarky remarks on his tongue, judging by the embarrassed faces of the guys who didn't get a chance to even talk to the pretty guy. Wonwoo was just standing by the blond's side, flushed pink from the attention and sipping on Capri Sun clutched in hand. The kiddie drink was then swiftly replaced by one of the red cups, the one filled with alcohol and Mingyu saw as Wonwoo slowly shook his head but held the cup nonetheless. It was evident the older wasn't much one for drinking but to Mingyu's surprise, Wonwoo hesitantly brought the cup to his lips, tasting whatever was inside. Judging by the clear distaste painted all over his face it had to be something strong. Still, the pout gracing Wonwoo's features was cute.  
Mingyu had to hide the giggle behind his own cup that was becoming emptier by the second. He'll need a refill soon.

Keeping an eye on Wonwoo, the alcohol slowly but surely filling in his system, Mingyu suppressed a gulp as at one point, he saw Seungkwan lean in to his friend, whispering in his ear that got Wonwoo looking up and lock eyes with him. Across the room, Mingyu, having been caught but tipsy already, cocked an eyebrow, a lop-sided smirk curling up in the corners of his lips. He raised his cup at the boy, cheeks flushed red and then chugged the drink down, emptying his cup. Wonwoo broke their contact just then, reverting back to stare down at the floor he found rather interesting. He shook his head and mumbled something in response to Seungkwan's question. The younger had a pout on his lips but he nodded, patting his hyung on the arm before strolling over to find his boyfriend. Wonwoo was now left alone, which made a good opportunity for Mingyu to make a small talk with him before someone else did. He'd been craving for some conversation with the older boy.

Not wasting a second, Mingyu made his long legs move, pushing through the sea of people who shouted their greetings along the way to the kitchen his target had been occupying.

'Ah, Mingyu? You want a refill?' Wonwoo's soft voice asked, his lithe finger pointing at the red cup he was holding.

'What are you drinking?' The younger asked whilst nodding, leaning in more closely to look inside the red cup. Mingyu snorted a laugh when he took a quick sip from Wonwoo's drink.  
'Fucking beer? Seriously?' He grimaced, shaking his head a little. 'Beer is for pussies.'

A frown.

'That's rude! I didn't want to drink it but Kwannie insisted,' he pouted, putting the cup back on the counter with a distate on his face. 'I don't know what was he thinking, I didn't come here to get wasted, you know? I don't even drink alcohol.'

Mingyu nodded. He wasn't surprised, honestly. 'Can't hold your liquor well?'

'No. I just don't like the taste.'

Mingyu hummed at that. Some people really be like that. Wonwoo especially didn't strike him like someone to drink anyway. Part of him was relieved, though. God knows what would happen if Wonwoo got drunk with those handsy people around.

Scooting closer, the younger leaned in, caging Wonwoo with his big body as he tried to reach out for the opened bottle of vodka on the counter behind Wonwoo's back. Mingyu could've just grabbed it from the side but being more than tipsy already, the boldness had made itself present, making Mingyu into a confident, fearless man. The surprise on Wonwoo's pretty face as he felt the press of the younger's chest on his, surely put a smirk on Mingyu's lips. Wonwoo was flustered by the sudden proximity, his eyes going sideways to look at anything but the other boy. Being this close to the older, Mingyu could see the glint of Wonwoo's lips and oh wow- he'd put on a lip gloss, _that little vixen_ , making his lips really plushy and crimson red, and fucking hard to resist. The urge to taste them was stronger than ever.

Grabbing for the bottle, Mingyu shifted back and poured the liquid into his cup. To Wonwoo's dismay, he hadn't moved from his position one bit, successfully trapping the older between him and the counter. Heat crept up onto his cheeks as Mingyu grinned down on him, not breaking eye contact while gulping his drink in one go. Felt good for the throat.

Wonwoo started shifting in place, showing discomfort on his face as he tried to free himself by gently placing a palm on his chest, pushing the doctor in disguise away. It had proved to be a futile attempt as Mingyu didn't even budge from the spot, only pressing more onto him with that lop-sided grin he'd seen on drunk people before. By the looks of it, the kid was up to no good.

'Mingyu-'

A finger pressed against his lips shushed him from finishing his sentence and Wonwoo watched silently with eyes widening in a comical way as Mingyu put the cup beside him with a loud thud, wearing that loose, wide smile full of canines on his lips.

The younger leaned down dangerously close to Wonwoo's face, breath reeking of vodka and something else, making him nauseatic for a moment. One thing Wonwoo was sure about, was that the alcohol was getting into the kid's head faster than he'd thought.

'Hey, Wonwoo,' he drew out his name in a low, slurred way, sending shivers through its owner's body.

Sober Mingyu would've kept his distance and feelings to himself but drunk Mingyu was brutally honest and Wonwoo was about to find out.

'You're so fucking pretty, you know that?' The words were whispered in his face as Mingyu's fingers twirled with the fake hair of the wig.

Wonwoo stiffened at the compliment. He wasn't sure how he should react to that. But he failed to control the heat rushing up to color his cheeks.

'A-ah, thank you?'

Why did he make it sound like a question?

Mingyu grinned widely. 'You're fucking cute, too.'

The sudden confession was making Wonwoo flustered, and Mingyu honestly enjoyed the sight so much he failed to notice the loud sound of someone clearing their throat. Before he could react, a very red-faced Alice-Wonwoo was being freed by Seungkwan who happened to come to interrupt their little and totally innocent conversation with a brilliant idea of joining the karaoke squad. He dragged Wonwoo back into the living room where the guys holding microphones were about to get into a rap battle. Mingyu blinked slowly, sobering up a little before refilling his cup once again. He followed after Seungkwan, keeping his distance, eyes searching briefly around the room for any signs of his girlfriend. After a few failed attempts, he found her on the other side of the room sitting in a circle of some girls and boys, laughing at something one of her friends had said. Mingyu sighed, turning his attention back to Wonwoo, standing awkwardly next to Seungkwan who tried to push a microphone into his hand, successful only when Jaehyun shouted from somewhere at him to go for it.

_Go for what?_

Just as a song started from the speakers and lyrics showed up on the huge screen, Mingyu noticed Wonwoo hesitate for a moment before he gripped the mic tightly, bringing it close to his lips, like he was about to give it a blowjob and soon words started coming out in a very fast flow, matching the beat of the song playing. There were cheers from all around the room and Mingyu shivered at the sultry tone in Wonwoo's voice as he rapped the lines with no problem. It was doing things to him. Good yet bad at the same time.  
Biting his lips, Mingyu felt the heat going south exceptionally fast, the fabric of his pants getting tighter and tighter in his lower region.

He groaned into his drink.

Seeing the performance, those lips parting to let the words out in such a seducing, low voice, brought the beast out and Mingyu really needed to relieve himself _soon_. It appeared he wasn't the only one affected; Jaehyun literally jumped out of his seat to reach for Wonwoo the instant he passed the mic to Seungkwan, whispering something in his ear that left the other flustered and blushy. Judging how fast the couple walked over to the stairs leading to the second floor where the rooms were suited, Jaehyun had a problem to be solved, too. The reason was obvious.

Mingyu's imagination ran wild.

Was he going to fuck the pretty guy? He mused, thinking if he was going to have him on his back or maybe on all fours? Or better yet, have him ride his cock like his life depended on it-

This time his groan couldn't get muffled by the empty cup.

Fuck.

He shook his head. Bad, bad thoughts.

Shameless as his drunk-self had gotten over the night, Mingyu managed to steal someone's drink before he found Dahyun just as drunk as the people around her, maybe more than Mingyu himself, the girl giggling as one of her friends kept grinding down on some guy's crotch. She looked up with a grin when he called out to her, whispering in her ear he was so damn horny and wanted to fuck, like _right now_.

Not waiting for any sign of response, he curled his fingers around the thin wrist, dragging the still giggly girl with him.

They made it upstairs, colliding into one of the empty rooms, laughing between kisses as Mingyu's strong hands held the girl by the waist. Their movements were sloppy due to all the alcohol but the excitement remained and Mingyu really, _really_ needed to feel the heat of her body. The throbbing in his pants was becoming unbearable. Sloppily, he palmed his back pocket, frowning when he didn't find the condoms he was sure he'd brought with him.

Dahyun, who plopped herself on the bed, waiting for something to happen with a lifted skirt and a giggle on her lips, tilted her head.

'What's wrong?'

Mingyu bit his lip. 'I don' have any rubber with me.' Even though the alcohol clouded his mind, there was no way he'd have unprotected sex. Drunk or not.

With a slurred speech, he excused himself in search for a pack of condoms, reassuring the girl he'll be back soon. He got an impatient groan in response but nothing more than that so hurriedly, Mingyu stumbled out into the hallway. The loud music downstairs was thumping in his ears, blocking the noises from the rooms he passed by. Asking the people inside was probably the best way of obtaining the condoms but Mingyu didn't want to intrude- maybe Baekho had some stocked up in one of the bathrooms. He had to just find one that wasn't locked.

Mingyu spent the following five minutes checking the doorknobs on the doors before luck struck him and he found what could've been a bathroom in the farthest side of the hall, no lock on.

He grinned, thinking this was it, and pushed the door open.

Of all the places Mingyu had to barge in was a bathroom on the second floor. He should've noticed the noise coming from the inside but he was quite drunk by the time he opened the door. Instead of an empty room, he found Jaehyun leaning against the sink with Wonwoo on his knees, taking as much of the thick length as he could fit into his mouth. His wig was long forgotten somewhere on the floor and somehow seeing the guy just like that, dressed up so pretty and on his knees while working his mouth on the cock, stirred something up in his stomach.

It all happened too quickly then and Mingyu wasn't sober enough to notice what was actually going on in time before he saw Wonwoo pull away with a loud, wet pop as Jaehyun reached his climax, cum painting the older's face in white. Drunk Mingyu thought he looked super hot like this.

Wonwoo whimpered as the grip on his nape loosened. He tried to lick Jaehyun's cum off his face but there was some on his cheeks and a bit dripping down his chin.

'Oh wow, hello there?'

Mingyu had to make a noise loud enough for the couple to notice him. It must've been his giggly laugh he let out in response of seeing Jaehyun's dick out, now exhausted to limpness as all of the juices ended up in Wonwoo's mouth. He got a nice view of the older boy's lips glistening with thin patches of cum his tongue tried to lick off and damn, Mingyu could feel himself getting hard. If he ever had problems getting it up around Dahyun, one mental image of Wonwoo on his knees was enough to do the trick.

Oh, how deep he'd gotten.

Jaehyun cleared his throat, brow raising as he watched his drunk friend lean on the door, eyes fixated on his little boyfriend who grew redder in the face each passing second.

_Cute._

Mingyu licked his lips.

'You need something?' The voice of his friend made him look up at him.

He grinned.

'Yeah, a condom.'

'What for?' Jaehyun asked, tucking his dick back into his outrageous pants as if he hadn't just got it sucked. Wonwoo on the other hand, lowered his head low, trying to avoid looking at any of the two; too embarrassed at being caught in such position. The temperature in the bathroom had grown too hot and he didn't have enough strength to push himself and stand up. His legs felt weak, knees burning from the hard structure of the marbled tiles.

'Seriously, man?' Mingyu made a face but quickly transformed into a grinning mess as he took in the sight of Wonwoo on his knees, blushing like a madman. 'I'm gonna have sex with Dahyun, obviously,' he slurred, not tearing his eyes off of the kneeling boy dressed as Alice. The sight made his dick grow tighter in his pants, straining almost painfully against the cotton fabric. While being on the verge of passing out from the amount of alcohol that had gone down his throat, Mingyu paid no mind to the fact that he just got hard by simply watching his crush giving head to his friend. In his defense, it was really hot- his unabashed, drunk-self really appreciated the view, his dick included. What was the harm in that, really? He'd forget everything once the hungover hits next morning anyway. Jaehyun didn't seem to notice, too; trying to wake up from his blissed-out state.

Leaning against the doorframe to prevent his heavy body from falling face on the floor, Mingyu tore his sultry, half-lidded eyes off of Wonwoo, to send a wolfish grin at his blond friend.

'Jae, you should keep him forever, he looks like he gives good head.' He definitely slurred the words but Jaehyun, having been used to the other's drunk antics over the years, rolled his eyes before throwing a mildly concerned look his way.

'Jesus, how much are you drunk, Mingyu?'

'Very.'

The grin didn't disappear, it only grew wider when he made a hand gesture towards Alice- Wonwoo as a sign to look at him.

'Hey Won, you have some of the juice left here,' Mingyu tapped the place on the corner of his lips and Wonwoo, eyes wide, wiped the remaining cum off of his mouth with the back of his hand.  
'Yeah, that's it, _good boy._ '

As soon as the last two words got past his lips and it reached the other's ears, it caused a reaction in his body which didn't go unnoticed; from the corner of his eyes, Mingyu caught a glimpse as Wonwoo shuddered at the praise and bit his lip, legs pressing tightly together.

Oh. _Oh._

Well, wasn't that nice.

Still grinning, Mingyu turned back to Jaehyun, wiggling his fingers towards him. His friend sighed before reaching for his back pocket to pull out a pack of condoms, swiftly handing it to his friend.

'You shouldn't really fuck when you're that wasted, man,' he couldn't help the nagging tone slip into his voice.

Mingyu just waved him off, unbothered by the look his friend was giving him. 'Nah, we're both kinda horny so it's cool. Gotta make the best of it while I still can.' He gestured to his tent with a wink towards Wonwoo. The poor guy looked like he might pass out any second due to embarrassment, his eyes finding the floor very interesting. Mingyu couldn't help but feel intrigued. There was this nagging itch in the back of his mind telling him things he'd normally scold himself for but now, in his drunken stupor, his tongue was faster than his brain and he ended up saying something sober Mingyu would never voice out.

'Oh hey, if you ever wanna try a threesome, hit me up!'

Wonwoo's eyes shot the biggest he'd ever seen, the blush deeper than the fake blood on his dress. Jaehyun just rolled his eyes for the second time and flipped him off, his other hand helping his boyfriend to stand up.  
Mingyu's grin only grew wider as he made some sort of a flipped salute before swaying his way out.

Somehow, he managed to get to the room where he'd left his girlfriend without much trouble; his steps heavy as the alcohol slowly took over his body.  
He found the girl sprawled on the bed, giggling when her eyes made contact with Mingyu's and then as it lingered down to his crotch, her voice reduced to a needy moan. He got on the bed with a crooked grin before tearing the condom package open while Dahyun hastily worked on his pants. With them being both drunk, it got a bit messy; Mingyu closing his eyes for a moment to imagine the swell of Wonwoo's shiny, red lips before leaning down to kiss his girlfriend. It worked. He was still hard, thank God, and ready to fuck. Drunk Mingyu had never been the romantic type so he reached out for the lube, slicking himself up, all the while imagining the pretty guy waiting for his cock.

'Turn around,' he ordered then, making Dahyun yelp in surprise as he grabbed her clumsily without waiting for her to even reply.

Drunk from all the alcohol he'd consumed, his vision slowly turning blurry, he took Dahyun from behind, imagining it was Wonwoo's back he'd marked in vicious hickeys that night.

 

  
*****

 

  
It had been a while since Mingyu got so drunk. The extreme throbbing in his head he woke up to being the result of his wild adventures from yesterday. Good God, he really did go off.  
Massaging his temples to lessen the pain, he glanced to his side to find his girlfriend sleeping soundly under the thick blanket. She was still passed out, probably naked he guessed; just like him. The throbbing started to get borderline unbearable. Grunting, he scrambled off the bed, looking for the lower part of his doctor costume before a glass of water on the nightstand caught his attention. There was a pill of Aspirin just right next to the glass and Mingyu noticed another pair was next to Dahyun's side of the bed, too.

Someone must've visited this sex and booze-reeking room and left the painkillers for them to take.

Probably an angel.

Thanking Jesus and all the entities above mentally, Mingyu snatched the pill and swallowed it down, drinking it away with the offered glass of cold water. It soothed his throat. Then he proceed to grab the pants he found hanging loosely off the bed's edge and put them on. After he managed to locate whereabouts of his shirt, he made a way for the door, looking for a free bathroom to use. He had to take a shower or something, he still could feel himself reeking of cum and sweat. Ew.

Baekho's house was huge and there were so many people passed out all over the place. On his way up to the second floor, he almost tripped over some dude sleeping in a weird sitting position, snoring loudly.

Mingyu kept mindlessly looking for an empty bathroom until he stumbled upon one with the door slightly ajar. It looked like it was deserted since no sound was coming out so daringly, he placed a palm on the door, forcing it more open so he could peek inside. His throat went dry the instant he found out the room wasn't empty at all but was hiding a very shaky Wonwoo sitting on the edge of the bathtub, his lithe fingers fumbling with a cotton swab used for cleaning wounds.

Mingyu's eyes widened a little.

'Oh, good morning.' He was greeted by Wonwoo's soft voice, soon replaced by a hiss as he pressed the swab soaked in antiseptic more on one particular spot on his foot.

Alarmed, Mingyu closed the door behind him and then walked over to the older boy, crouching before him to take a closer look at the wound. He tried not to comment on the silky white stocking Wonwoo's other leg was clad in and just looked up at him, worry lacing his voice.

'What happened?' He gestured to his bare leg, chewing on his lip.

Wonwoo squirmed under the intense stare, resisting the urge to look away. He pulled the hem of his oversized hoodie down to cover himself, aware of the eyes on him. 'I was cleaning the mess in the living room but some kid must've broken a glass and didn't bother to pick it up and I failed to notice and ended up getting my foot cut on one of the shattered glass.'

Brows furrowed, Mingyu muttered something under his breath before placing a hand over Wonwoo's ankle and shifting closer to inspect the wound, he snatched the first-aid kit laying in the other's lap.

Thank God the cut wasn't too deep, but it must've stung a little judging how Wonwoo's face tried to hold back a hiss and not wince at the pain. He was holding himself like a good boy though, watching Mingyu clean the wound with gentle care.

'You're so clumsy.'

'Yeah, I know.' Wonwoo hissed when Mingyu unconsciously pressed on the wound more harshly, apologizing hastily after.

'How's Jae?' The younger asked, trying to hold a conversation. 'Did he get wasted?'

The question seemed to surprise Wonwoo but Mingyu saw him shake his head.

'Not really? He wasn't that drunk, maybe tipsy at most? I can't tell, he holds his liquor well.'

That was true. Sometimes even Mingyu couldn't tell if his friend was plastered or not which was a pretty amazing skill none of his friends possessed. Jaehyun always managed to look like a sober guy even with countless shots of vodka flowing through his veins. It left him wondering if his friend was even human.

Mingyu hummed. 'Is he still sleeping?'

'I don't know, we didn't share a room for the night.'

Well, that was certainly a surprising answer.

'What do you mean? Did you guys have a fight or something?' He furrowed his brows, panic settling in his gut.

Wonwoo was quick to deny it. 'No, nothing like that. You see, Hansol got very drunk he couldn't even walk properly and Kwannie was losing patience with his drunkard ass so he kind of dropped his boyfriend on mine. He even scolded Jaehyunnie for getting Hansol drunk so he was left taking care of him. They shared the room together while I got stuck with Kwan.'

Mingyu snorted at that.

'You know, I'm not really surprised, every Freshman on the team had to go through this at least once. They got me wasted last year, too. I was drunk as balls, waking up with a fucking tattoed face the next morning. The guys had drawn on me while I passed out, so Hansol had it more vanilla than me. He'll wake up with a throbbing head and not a fake mustache and badly drawn dicks all over his face.' He grinned, bathing in the soft tone of Wonwoo's cute giggle. 'I'm pretty sure Baekho hyung still have pics of that somewhere.'

'Oh shit, now I'm glad he didn't have to suffer like you.'

Both laughed at that, Wonwoo mostly because he found the story very amusing.

They fell into a comfortable silence after that.

Mingyu went back into cleaning the wound while forcing himself to not get distracted by the softness of Wonwoo's skin. He missed the embarrassing sound getting past the other's lips as he accidentally brushed a finger over the sensitive part on his foot. Turned out Wonwoo was ticklish there and the shudder of his body wasn't from the pain as his hand flew up to cover the giggle that almost slipped out.

It was still cute though and Mingyu felt every single tug of his heart as the 'patient' covered half of his face behind the sweater paws, soft giggles muffled by the thick fabric.

He applied the soothing scream on the cut before taking out a gauze. Wonwoo had been obediently sitting in place, calmed down after a particulary painful sting, watching Mingyu work through his bangs that fell into his eyes.

'Alright, I'm done.'

Patting the older on the ankle, Mingyu grinned up at him, satisfied with his work. The cut was cleaned thoroughly and safely bandaged. He watched Wonwoo's lips curl up into a pretty smile, his eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings as he meekly nodded with a soft _'thanks'_. Mingyu merely brushed it off with a smile of his own, watching with adoration the cute expression brightening the older's face. It quickly faded though, as Wonwoo finally took a closer look at his friend's weary state. He hadn't noticed it sooner because he was too focused on the injury but now, seeing the dark circles and the messy hair sticking in every direction, he couldn't help but blurt out his concern.

'Not to be rude but you honestly look like shit.'

Mingyu chuckled at the straighforwardness. 'Yeah, well,' he ran a hand through the wild mess of hair, 'I got mad drunk last night. My head's still throbbing.'

'Even though I left the painkillers with a glass ot water for you guys to take?' Wonwoo asked in disbelief.

Mingyu was hit with a sudden realization.

Oh. So the angel concerned about his well-being was him? He couldn't believe it. Actually, he could because Wonwoo was just like that- a caring person. Mingyu might've ended up attached to the guy if he kept being so kind. Heck, he might already be.

'That was you?'

A nod.

'Yeah. You guys were a _mess_ ,' Wonwoo scrunched his nose in disgust and Mingyu balled his fist because it was so adorable. 'I was honestly surprised so many people stayed over and since I know from experience hungovers are a pain in the ass to deal with, I thought some painkillers would help you all get through it easier.' His fingers started to play with the hem of his hoodie, still too big on his frame. 'I had help from Seungkwan who happened to stay sober, too so I was able to get the meds to everyone.'

A smile crept up on Mingyu's face, soon transforming into a fond one. Honestly, no one deserved this guy. He was just so nice.

'How's your headache though? Do you-' Wonwoo paused, the blush high on his cheeks, 'do you remember anything from last night?'

Mingyu raised his brows as he looked up at him, trying to recollect the events before he passed out from all the alcohol and physical activities. Strange how Wonwoo got so nervous and blushy about the party. Was there something he did? Mingyu tried to remember. He was vaguely aware of the drinks being passed to him and he all chugged them down; then the rap battle between the guys and then his body cornering Wonwoo against the counter and- Oh. Oh God. He did remember. The thing drunk doctor Mingyu said to the very sober Alice-Wonwoo in the kitchen. And also the encounter in the bathroom as he went looking for a free pack of condoms.

His cheeks grew redder by each passing second as the images kept floating through his mind. Mingyu thought he'd forget all the embarrassing things his drunk-self had so shamelessly done and seen but as the pieces slowly put together the whole picture, clearly, this wasn't the case.

Stuffing the leftover gauze back in the kit, Mingyu cleared his throat before looking up at Wonwoo, unsure of what to say. He settled for a little lie.

'Uh, I remember some things, I guess?'

God, he hoped the older didn't catch the heat taking over his facial features. Holding his gaze on Wonwoo, who still couldn't face him properly but instead kept burning holes into his lap where his fingers played nervously, it was most likely that he wasn't aware of it yet. That was good.

'A-ah, is that so?' Wonwoo's voice faltered at the end, the stutter deepening the blush seated high on his cheeks.

A chuckle slipped through Mingyu's lips and somehow, seeing the guy so shy, something inside him twisted. It was as if the bluntness and confidence drunk Mingyu usually possessed were able to take control over sober Mingyu.

'Mhm, yeah.'

Mindlessly, Mingyu's hand found its way up to Wonwoo's knee, ghosting over the silk fabric of his stocking, feeling the slight shudder under his fingertips. The older boy looked down in confusion but with rosy cheeks nonetheless, breath hitching as Mingyu suddenly leaned in with a crooked grin, their noses almost touching.

'I clearly remember calling you pretty, though.'

Upon hearing that, Wonwoo got so flustered his hold on the porcelain edge of the bathtub slipped and losing balance in a mere second, he was this close from falling backward if not for a swift hand on the small of his back, pulling him toward its owner. Mingyu managed to shift from his position and secure him in his arms, his face almost colliding with Wonwoo's own.

His heart skipped a beat.

_Too close._

'Woah, there. You almost got yourself hurt again.' The younger held a smile on his face just as his hand held the delicate waist.

Wonwoo gulped nervously, heat rising up to his ears.

'S-sorry.'

Mingyu heard the frantic beating of Wonwoo's heart as they locked eyes. Only, the younger was able to hold it for a moment before his gaze lingered down to the pair of those plush lips, now slightly parted as if waiting for a tongue to slip inside. If he just leaned in more closely he could-

'Hey, Wonu! There you are! I've been looking for you everywhere.'

A hushed voice that only belonged to Hansol's diva of a boyfriend interrupted the little moment between the two and Mingyu choked down a yelp as he was pushed back by Wonwoo's trembling hands.

The boldness had quickly vanished then, pulling him back to reality.

Shit.

He almost kissed his friend's boyfriend.

Suddenly embarrassed by his own actions, Mingyu distanced himself from the older and stood up, only turning over his shoulder as Seungkwan's voice cut the awkward silence hanging in the air.

'You gotta come with me, there's this chick crying in the living room and she wouldn't calm down, Jesus.' The complaint was followed by a gasp as the younger boy noticed the bandage around his friend's foot. Seungkwan's attentive eyes flickered over the deep red still present on Wonwoo's cheeks and then back to the tall giant standing awkwardly close to the shower stall.

One of his brows raised in question.

'Why is your foot bandaged?' He asked, arms crossed over his chest.

Wonwoo, still flustered to the core, just mumbled something incoherent before walking past Mingyu to the door where Seungkwan was standing. He was trying to not put much pressure on the injured foot so he stumbled towards the blond with a limp.

'It's nothing serious, just a small cut. I'm fine, Mingyu treated it for me. Did you check on the guys? How's Hansol and Jae doing?' Mingyu heard the older boy ask. The concern laced his soft voice.

Seungkwan just snorted, rolling his eyes dramatically.

'Still dead to the world, sis.'

The chuckle was most likely forced but Mingyu wasn't really sure, his mind too full of the images of those plush, red lips, almost brushing against his own.

'Oh yeah, Mingyu hyung?' The chubby blond called out to him, temporarily pulling him out of his trance. 'Next time you and your chick fuck, please make sure to cover yourselves after getting the nasty shit done. Wonu hyung almost got a heart attack this morning seeing you two laying on the bed gross like that.'

Mingyu nearly choked on his spit, blurting out an apology, feeling the embarrassment from the younger's blunt words.

As an utterly red-faced Wonwoo got dragged away by Seungkwan's hand on his wrist, Mingyu thinned his lips, clammy hand raking through his hair. He slid down on the floor, his mind replaying the inappropriate action just a few moments ago.

If not for the younger boy's interruption, he was sure he would've kissed Wonwoo back then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It may look like I find enjoyment in torturing Wonwoo but that's not it, really. ;; I promise it gets better.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed the chapter.  
> Sorry for the messy grammar. I tend to be lazy and work is taking the majority of my time so don't expect consistent updates. ^^;;


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